Notes on the Society's Work in 1897-1918. 



lv. 



The following table illustrates how far his advice has been followed 

 and with what results as regards the extension of the area planted and 

 the exports and imports of coffee : — 



Coffee. 



In 1917 the export would have been far more than doubled were it 

 not for the lack of shipping-facilities, as in 1916 over 501,000 lbs. 

 were exported. 



The marked extension in coffee-planting during the period under 

 review has been mainly, if not entirely, with the Liberian variety. Both 

 Arabian or so-called Creole coffee and Liberian coffee gi-ow with 

 exceptional vigour, whilst the former is singularly free from disease. 



Large areas of low-lying land in British Guiana are ideally suited to 

 the growth of Arabian coffee. The meteorological conditions of these 

 parts of the colony are very similar to those of the higher parts of many 

 of the West Indian Islands, and when this is borne in mind the excellent 

 way in which Arabian coffee grows on them is not surprising. 



In 1897 it was already recognised that Liberian Coffee grew very 

 well indeed in many parts of the colony, and that wherever it flourished 

 it was very prolific. It has since been found that at times and in certain 

 places the difficulty is to restrict its bearing-propensities sufficiently to 

 prevent the trees either permanently injuring itself or even dying from 

 the effects of over-production. Climatic conditions on lands situated at 

 some distance from the coast-line and on the lands along the lower 

 reaches of the rivers are the most favourable for the growth of Liberian 

 coffee. 



There are still plenty of openings for the development of plantings of 

 coffee, the best of which, perhaps, are on the lands bordering both banks 

 of the Berbice river along its course from about 30 to 150 miles from its 

 mouth, whilst similar plantings in the North West and in the Pomeroon 

 Districts would be of almost equal promise. 



