24 
“ River are soils of remarkable fertility, which are cultivated by 
“small settlers for a distance of from 30 to 40 miles from its 
“mouth. On these soils, coffees, both Liberian and Mocha, 
“ flourish wonderfully.” 
3. I am able to support, from my own observations, the state- 
ments already made in regard to the flourishing character of the 
Demerara River, Liberian coffee is more luxuriant, and yields 
larger crops than possibly in any other part of the world. It is 
impossible to speak too highly of the great advantage to the Colony 
which this single fact implies. The trees coi thoroughly healthy, 
and heavily laden with crop. In a few cases only were suitable 
appliances in use for curing the produce. 
74. On one coffee estate on the Demerara River the Liberian 
coffee is cured by fermenting the ripe cherries and afterwards 
e dry a i i İs. ¢ 
r- This is 
very primitive method, but it possesses some merit, and is well 
adapted for use by small settlers. The coffee is of good spot 
The = cost of turning out the crop in this manner is about 5 
pe Picking costs about 4s. 6d. per cwt. So that the total 
cost > “picking and curing the produce ready for shipment is 
under ten shillings for what sells for about 40s. to 60s. per cwt. 
The coffee produced on this estate finds a ready market locally. 
With suitable app anos the cost of curing might be reduced to 
about one-half, at lea 
75. As regards a for coffee and cacao estates, it will be 
‘sugar cultivation, to which they contine their labour. 
“ Portuguese, excluding the native-born, make good industrious 
e sepia and besi ys bulk of the provisions produced in the 
“are excellent agricu turists, Puger, oe and 
“industrious; but as the immigration has bee topped for 
“many years now, most of them still left have Di to other 
“ business, some to farming up the rivers, other s burning charcoal 
“and Sa hard wood in the same regions 
iy e indications are in favour of there bein 
ng a moderate 
supply of labour, at least for the first estates started on the 
