Coffee Culture on tbe Soutbern Coast of Cbfapas, 



contains, for, almost all of them will germinate without separation, 

 germination will be more certain and the roots will grow straighter if 

 they are separated. 



Before sowing, the seeds should be put in water, and those that 

 float should be rejected. 



In an interesting article on coffee published in the Mexican Agri- 

 cultural Dictionary and Rural Economy, various rules are given for im- 

 proving the quality of the coffee-seed. Certain plants, called mother 

 plants, are kept exclusively for seed; the best and largest fruits are 

 selected ; these are dried in the shade and otherwise carefully treated, 

 so as to obtain seed of superior excellence. There is no doubt that 

 the best seed will produce the best fruit, and that on this point, as on 

 many others, coffee cultivation is susceptible of great improvement. 

 All these rules may be found in the article referred to. 



d. Solving the Seed. The ground being prepared in the manner 

 already described, the seeds are to be sown, two by two, at intervals 

 of a quarter of a yard. In each ridge four furrows are to be made, a 

 quarter of a yard apart, and the plants in each furrow are to be set the 

 same distance apart. The holes for sowing the seed may be made 

 with the finger, half an inch deep; the seed being then covered lightly 

 with earth. The whole ridge is then to be covered with grass or leaves, 

 such as those of the wild plantain, or any other kind that may be suit- 

 able to prevent the seeds being washed away by the rains; but this 

 should be done in such a way as not to exclude the moisture of the 

 rain or the light and heat of the sun. 



If any of this covering should still remain when the coffee begins to 

 sprout, it is to be carefully removed ; and if it should decay before the 

 coffee appears above the ground, it is to be replaced by another covering. 



e. Replanting. Replanting is generally necessary, particularly when 

 the nursery is formed from seeds, as some of the seeds do not ger- 

 minate, and the young plants often wither shortly after appearing above 

 ground. It will be necessary, therefore, to have near-by a seed-plot, 

 from which the plants required to replace these may be taken without 

 loss of time. 



/. Cultivation. When two plants spring up together in the nursery, 

 the most robust is to be left and the other is to be transplanted to a 

 place previously prepared for the purpose. 



When the plants have appeared above the ground, the only care 

 they require is that the nursery be kept free from weeds. Any other 

 vegetation that appears must be pulled up by the hand, without em- 

 ploying a knife, machete, spade, or other instrument, as any of these 

 might seriously injure the stalks and roots of the young plants. 



It is not necessary to water the nursery in Soconusco, as the rains 

 are sufficient for the purpose. 



