96 COFFEE : ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



CHAPTER IX. 



PLANTING. 



PLANTING Coffee seed directly into the clearings was 

 at one time practised, and in such circumstances 

 as those of small native gardens under shade, and 

 irrigated, did well enough, but is not suited for 

 general European usage. Then there was the im- 

 portation of " stumps," and the collection of natural 

 sown seedlings from the jungle, native gardens, or 

 deserted plantations. All these have given way to 

 the more regular and workmanly plan of cultivating 

 one's own plants, as previously shown, in prepared 

 nurseries. 



When land under shade has been cleared, it is 

 "pegged" and planted at once, damp, showery 

 weather of course being chosen. There are several 

 modes of performing the important operation of 

 removing young plants from nursery to clearings.- 

 One is to scoop each seedling up with a complicated 

 form of trowel which removes the seedling and the 

 earth round its roots, the plants being retained in 

 this contrivance until they are bedded out and the 

 soil filled in round them. Another way, which 

 seems the most certain, though also the most ex- 

 pensive, is to use light wicker baskets, made at 



