THE NURSERY. 67 



of the hot weather, being gradually put on as the 

 sun dries up the moisture of the soil, keeping its 

 place " while the sky is brass and the earth iron," 

 and giving the tender green saplings a cool region 

 to thrive in. When a new monsoon breaks it is 

 gradually removed piecemeal, as now our future 

 Coffee bushes require all the sun and sunshine that 

 can be had through the clouds and rain to harden 

 them off, and fit them for taking their proper place 

 in the clearings. 



In South Australia, where Coffee planting has 

 been tried with some success, it is found that young 

 plants thrive best under shade. " Those seeds 

 planted in the open," says a correspondent of the 

 South Australian Register, " proved utter failures, 

 scarcely a seed being able to stand the exposure. 

 Others planted under a very light shade coming up 

 thinly, whilst those under very thick shade, four feet in 

 width by two in height, succeeded admirably, as did 

 also that sown in long sheds with vertical roofs about 

 five feet high, open at both ends to admit a current of 

 air. These latter sheds the manager has decided to 

 use in future, as the grass which composes the roof is 

 easy of removal as the plants increase in hardihood." 



A danger of the monsoon that must not be over- 

 looked is the likelihood of floods. The nursery 

 being on a slope, it is especially liable to these 

 catastrophes, and a strong and deep ditch should 

 be cut sloping across the top of the cleared spaces 

 to catch and run off any unusual downpour, while 



