198 COFFEE : ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



being especially energetic in their researches for 

 new fertilizing compounds and composts, a result 

 no doubt due to the demand which their somewhat 

 overworked soil has made, since 1867, upon their 

 ingenuity. 



A report by a Committee of the Ceylon Planters' 

 Association (though the report is by this time far 

 down on the Association's file of memorandum) 

 gives some sensible advice on general application 

 of all such manures, and so tersely it is difficult 

 to put it in better language than the originals. 



" The best mode of application," we read, 

 " seems to be to place the bulky manures in holes 

 from, say, ij feet square, and in depth from 6 inches 

 to 1 8 inches, and 6 to 18 inches from the stem of 

 the tree ; the artificial manures being placed in 

 smaller holes of less depth. On some estates the 

 plan seems to have succeeded of placing a large 

 quantity of pulp (five baskets) in holes cut in a 

 space between every four trees, at a cost of g per 

 acre." The quantities of the several manures used 

 are as follows : 



" Phosphoric potash, |- Ib. to tree ; bonedust and poonac, 

 | Ib. to i Ib. per tree ; cattle dung, i basketful to 3 baskets 

 (30 Ib.); sombreorum, 4 to 7 oz. ; bones, f Ib. to i Ib. 



Composts: Pulp, lime, and ravine soil, i. ^ Ib. lime, 



i bushel pulp. 



Do. i bushel ravine soil. 



Do. Dissolved bones i Ib., and swamp soil i basket. 



Do. Bolivian guano, Ib. ; Peruvian, Ib. ; and 



bones, ^ Ib. 

 Do. Cattle manure, i basket ; guano, 3 oz." 



