SOIL AND CLIMATE. 33 



strength, the latter beats the bushes to ribbons, 

 snaps their -tender rootlets as they are formed, and 

 does unlimited damage to an exposed site by hurt- 

 ling the seasonal rains against it, thus washing into 

 the ravines with each muddy torrent all its best 

 soil. The aspect of the jungle trees will often 

 indicate the nature of the winds that beat upon 

 them. A tempest - swept soil usually presents a 

 hardened and washed-out appearance which a little 

 experience will enable one to detect. 



The planter must see to the sheltering of 

 his Coffee as best he can in this respect, and 

 should remember that the rules which suit his 

 next door neighbour will by no means of a necessity 

 apply to him. 



We may quote Elliot on this subject. Speak- 

 ing of the Indian monsoons, he says : 



" These south-west winds are, however, only fatally inju- 

 rious on the first barrier of hills they strike. Further inland 

 their force is greatly modified, and to such an extent that 

 little injury results from them. For instance, along the whole 

 of the westerly frontier range of the Mysore tableland Coffee 

 can hardly be grown at all in face of the south-west 

 monsoon, and eastern aspects are therefore the best ; while 

 five miles further inland an eastern aspect, from the 

 climate being so much drier and hotter, is most to be 

 avoided, and a western aspect may be considered rather 

 favourable than otherwise." 



To sum up : a perusal of the foregoing sugges- 

 tions should give the beginner, no matter what part 

 of the world he may be in, some idea of those 



