58 COFFEE : ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE NURSERY. 



ACTUAL operations upon the estate begin with the 

 formation of a " nursery," or secluded corner, where 

 those young plants are to be reared for subsequently 

 filling up their appointed places in the permanent 

 fields. It is one of the prettiest and most satis- 

 factory works the planter has to perform, as one 

 of the earliest. 



Having established himself in some sort of a 

 hut (if he lives upon the estate as he probably 

 will do and certainly ought), placing the hut as 

 much above the general level of the country as 

 can conveniently be managed his jungle paths 

 roughly cut, and coolies got into some sort of 

 working order, the next thing is to start his future 

 plants. 



The first requisite is a good piece of ground, 

 level perhaps or, better still, with a moderate 

 slope in one direction, in order to facilitate natural 

 drainage a reasonable depth of soil, and, above 

 all, a ready, abundant, and never-failing water 

 supply. Let him be careful that the stream he 

 selects is perennial, or it may fail him just when 

 most needed. It is astonishing how completely 



