344 Coffee Culture on tbe Soutbern Coast of Cbtapas. 



part of the top, of as many as twelve feet, the trunks of some of the 

 largest being as much as five inches in diameter. In such cases the 

 picking of the fruit is more difficult and costly. 



The trees are at times so heavily laden with fruit that the branches 

 break down under its weight. To prevent this it is necessary to sup- 

 port them with props. 



B. Gathering the Crop in Ceylon. To each laborer two sacks are 

 given, a small one, which he fastens round his waist, and a large one, 

 which he hangs somewhere near at hand. The first is to hold the 

 fruit as it is picked from the tree, and the second to receive the con- 

 tents of the first, every time it has been filled. 



The trees are divided into rows and one or two rows are assigned 

 to each laborer; so that he does not pick all the fruit of each tree, 

 but only the fruit that is on his side of the tree. 



In very hilly ground it is expedient to begin picking the fruit at the 

 most elevated part of the plantation. The reason for this is that the 

 fruit which falls can be more easily picked up, and that it is easier for 

 the pickers to descend with their loads than to ascend with them. 



An overseer is set over the pickers so that they may neither leave 

 fruit that is ripe on the trees nor pick unripe fruit. 



Care must be taken not to pluck the branch with the fruit from the 

 tree. 



A metal check is given to the pickers for each basket which they 

 deliver, and on pay day they are paid according to the number of these 

 checks which they return. This is done in Guatemala also. 



The scarcity of hands and the importance of not losing the crop 

 have suggested to the planters of Ceylon an easy manner of conveying 

 the coffee from the trees to the place where it is to be prepared for the 

 market. This consists in placing a galvanized-iron pipe where a 

 stream of water may pass through it to the pulper, carrying the coffee 

 with it. Mr. Sabonadiere estimates the cost of such a pipe at from 

 $1250 to $1500 per mile. 



The fruit is received in a box of a certain measure, which is so 

 placed that when it is full it can be easily emptied into the tank from 

 which it is conveyed to the pulper. In this way the quantity of fruit 

 received is known. 



9. PREPARATION OF THE COFFEE FOR THE MARKET. 



Under this head the following subjects will be considered: 

 A. Preparation of coffee in Soconusco. 

 B. Improvement in the preparation of coffee in Soconusco. 

 C. Preparation of coffee in Ceylon. 



Each of these points will be considered separately and as briefly as 

 possible. 



