ii2 COFFEE: ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



have to be reduced within reasonable stature, and 

 very carefully handled subsequently. Bushes, on the 

 other hand, unduly dwarfed, may, if necessary, be 

 allowed to fulfil their natural propensity to rise, one, 

 the strongest of the many green, rapid-growing 

 suckers always thrown out, being selected as a new 

 ascending axis and the others rigorously suppressed. 

 " Plants should be topped as soon as they have 

 reached the desired height. At this stage of their 

 growth this can easily be done by a pinch between 

 the finger and thumb nails. As, however, some 

 plants will be found more forward than others, a 

 knife will be required for use in cases where the 

 wood is more matured. Each coolie should be pro- 

 vided with a measuring stick cut to the proper 

 length, and holding this against the stem of the 

 plant, be instructed to snip off the pair of young 

 primary branches next above the stick at about an 

 inch from the stem, the latter being then also cut off 

 above them. By this means the joint or point of 

 union of the amputated branches will form a sort of 

 band, and prevent the stem from being subsequently 

 split by weight of the next branches pendant on 

 either side when laden with crop." Checking the 

 upward growth is only a first business ; the next is 

 that of " handling," or, in other words, removing 

 while still young and tender all those shoots growing 

 crossways in the tree or growing too near the main 

 stem. The Coffee bush, as nature meant it to be, 

 is a beautiful sample of order and regularity. From 



