94 COFFEE : ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



West Indies. In Southern India the castor oil is generally 

 cultivated as an annual, with dry crops either of grain or pulse, 

 and rarely alone, in almost every district, requiring no particular 

 attention as a field crop. It thrives in the plains as well as on 

 the hills to about 5,000 feet above sea level. It grows rapidly 

 into a tall lanky plant from 8 to 15 feet in height, generally 

 forming a large terminal spike about a foot in length, springing 

 from the terminating branches at the summit, and sometimes 

 two or more small side branches form, carrying smaller spikes 

 of about 6 to 8 inches in length; each spike carries from 

 100 to 150 capsules which are armed with long flexible prickles 

 and are trilocular or 3-celled, and about the size of a large 

 marble when matured ; the capsule bursts elastically expelling 

 'its seed, usually 3 in number, to a little distance from the plant. 

 " The small-seeded variety grows into a large umbrageous 

 tree 33 to 40 feet in height, with a sturdy looking stout stem. 

 Trees on my estate now measure 4 feet in girth, one foot above 

 the soil, and 3 feet, 5 feet above the soil. It is a handsome 

 tree, and seeds freely yielding 15 Ib. of seeds per tree per 

 annum." 



The loquat tree has a fruit somewhat resembling 

 a yellow plum. Its wood is of no value as timber, 

 but it is a favourite as shade for Coffee in the 

 Wynaad. I once planted a couple of hundred acres 

 with Pepul (Ficus religiosa). A tree of that species 

 was felled, and six foot length cut from the lesser 

 branches. These, four inches in diameter, were 

 planted firmly into the ground amongst the Coffee, 

 and soon formed roots and burst into abundant 

 heads of foliage. Then there is the dark green- 

 leaved "cub-bussaree " tree, and the "goni" tree. 

 Elliot warns us against the " taree," the " cheppul," 

 and the " muttee." All good, suitable trees, of 

 the many species which planters have tried, must 



