12 COFFEE : ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



generally the first which comes out in March. 

 After a day or two, the flowers gradually turn 

 brown, and fade away ; the slower and more 

 gradual this process is, the better. Rainfall, while 

 the blossoms are out, is much to be deprecated ; 

 but once the latter has set, a good shower will 

 be beneficial rather than otherwise. This will 

 wash off the withered petals, leaving exposed 

 to view the numerous pistils, or fruit germs, 

 upon which all depends. These should have fresh, 

 whitish tips, to indicate a healthy appearance ; and 

 when this is the case, the blossoms are said to 

 have " set well," and a crop may be looked for 

 proportionate to the abundance of the blossom. 

 Sometimes, however, an ominous little black speck 

 is discernible in the centre of the pistil ; and where 

 this is the case, fructification will not follow. This 

 is most commonly the result of inopportune rain 

 while the flowers are out ; or it may follow a pro- 

 longed season of drought, and be due to a weakly 

 condition of the plant. 



Beautiful while they last, and delighting the 

 planter's eye with their likeness to the flowers of 

 the English hedgerows in spring time, or filling him 

 with pleasant thoughts of future profits, accordingly 

 as sentiment or practicability dominate in his mind, 

 their life is yet short, and in three or four days 

 the beauty of the plantation is gone, and the petals 

 lie yellow and withered on the ground. 



From the short stalks whence they have fallen 



