l6o COFFEE ! ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



and Canara, and the kingdoms of Travancore and 

 Cochin. A portion, however, passes over the range, 

 or through the gaps which here and there occur, and 

 finds its way in more or less abundance to every 

 district in the Presidency. The minor showers 

 of April are not due to the influence of either 

 monsoon, yet it is just the light " sprinklings " 

 which make all the difference, to Travancore Coffee 

 at any rate. Coming before their time they do 

 immense mischief, but in season when fruit has 

 " set," i.e., fructification been accomplished, they 

 knock off the withered brown petals and afford 

 the plants much service by watering them at a 

 period when all possible encouragement is needed. 

 Coffee for this reason is a very precarious invest- 

 ment in Travancore. The crop is entirely depen- 

 dent upon rain after the blossoming season, a 

 few showers just at the right time making a 

 difference of thousands of rupees to the planter. 

 As soon as the flowers are off, the little green 

 nobs at the bottom begin to swell, filling out 

 rapidly all the hot weather, changing colour early 

 in the autumn from green to yellow, and about 

 October assuming the red tinge which marks 

 approaching ripeness. 



According to the season this will be earlier or 

 later, while different corners of the estate will 

 ripen at various times according as the land has 

 a warm or cold aspect even opposite sides of a 

 bush often vary considerably in this respect. A 



