COFFEE. 59 



bad and slovenly habits, such as cutting off the tops of the weeds 

 by wholesale, aud thus giving the plantation an appearance of 

 cleanliness, whilst it, in fact, is as dirty as ever. This is soon 

 discovered by the weeds showing themselves again above ground 

 in a very few days, and even if they rot under ground, they breed 

 insects which are very hurtful to the bushes, and the seeds 

 vegetate. 



After the first six months, this weeding will be sufficient if it 

 takes places once a month, but this must be persevered in till the 

 third year, when there may be a much greater interval between 

 the weeding. When the trees are coming to full growth, the hoe 

 should be less frequently used in cleaning ; the hand must be used 

 to the full extent to which the branches reach, as the roots of the 

 tree spread to a like distance, and if they are injured the growth 

 of the tree is prejudiced. 



The well-being of an estate chiefly depends on frequent cleaning 

 of the plantation in the beginning. The idea of some persons that 

 cleaning in the dry season is of little consequence, must be given 

 up, as it is principally at that very time that it is extremely profit- 

 able to remove and clear the ground round the trees in their 

 growth. In the first place, this destroys the weeds which take 

 the nourishment away from the trees ; secondly, the ground is 

 rendered more open to receive the slight showers and dews 

 which moisten it, and to benefit by the influence of the air ; 

 the roots are thus considerably refreshed. The dew falling on 

 ground which has been recently moved, penetrates at once into 

 it, and does good to the plant ; but if it falls on the weeds, the 

 first rays of the sun absorb it, and deprive the tree of this source 

 of refreshment. 



The dadap is to be taken care of whilst clearing goes on ; it must 

 be cropped so as to cause it to grow upright, and to throw as much 

 shade as possible on the coffee without pressing upon it. 



In warm fertile ground, where the coffee plant grows rapidly, 

 the trees should be topped in the third year ; but this should be 

 done sparingly, and as a general measure it is not to be recom- 

 mended ; it should be resorted to only as a means to prevent the 

 too rapid growth of the tree, or its running up to a point. Topping 

 and taking off" suckers are both necessary on meagre soils, where 

 the trees run much to wood ; and it prevents the trees being in- 

 jured in the picking season, which often occurs without this pre- 

 caution. The top or middle stem is broken off at a height of six 

 or seven feet, but care must be taken not to tear the tree ; when 

 the top shoots out again it must be cropped a second time, and it 

 is seldom necessary to do this more than twice. The cropping 

 causes the tree to shoot out in breadth, and to push forth a greater 

 number of sprigs, and good strong ones. 



Picking coffee. When the estate becomes productive, it must 

 in the picking season, just before the work begins, be kept exceed- 

 ingly clear of weeds, and be even swept clean with brooms, in 

 order that the berries which fall oft' may be gathered up. 



