26 COFFEE : ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



But a deep black is also good sometimes, indeed, very fine. 

 And there are other kinds not to be despised. A free, friable 

 kind of soil is generally a very desirable first condition, 

 whatever be the colour. But it should not be sandy, clayey 

 or ferruginous. If well studded with large boulders so much 

 the better. These keep the soil together, as well as improve 

 it by the process of their decay. Avoid land where there 

 is much slab-rock cropping out on the surface, however. 

 The soil is seldom deep upon such rock, and it gradually 

 slides away : while even before it slips, the roots of the Coffee 

 trees coming in contact with the hidden rock cause the tree 

 to wither and die when in its very prime." 



The matter of climate is at least as important 

 as the previous one, and can be approached with 

 more confidence of accuracy. That also of aspect 

 is worth consideration. Coffee of one sort or 

 another will grow and thrive more or less from 

 the sea level to 6,000 feet of ele^attenT"" 



TrTCeylonrthe result of much experience and 

 innumerable failures from too much humidity, or an 

 excess of dryness in the atmosphere, has led to 

 the conclusion that a height of 3,000 feet, with a 

 divergence of 500 feet higher or lower, is the best 

 elevation that can be chosen. 



The highest estate of Travancore is in Velaven- 

 godu district, at an elevation of 3,900 feet ; but 

 there are only two estates there, which comprise 

 unitedly 395 acres, and the outturn of which has 

 been 412 Ibs. per acre of mature plants. The lowest 

 estate is in Neduvengaud, altitude above the sea 

 about 400 feet; and on this 154 Ibs. per acre were 

 gathered. The average produce for all plantations 



