94 COFFEE. 



The cultivation may be carried on, however, at much lower levels, 

 and, with a proper system of irrigation and shade, successful 

 plantations are worked as low as 1,500 feet. The small gardens 

 of the natives are found everywhere, almost to the water's edge. 

 The coffee trees are raised from the seed in nurseries, as in Java, 

 and transplanted when about a year old; the distances usually 

 observed in the rows being six feet by six, or six feet by five. It 

 is claimed that close planting is serviceable in hindering the 

 growth of weeds and in enabling the plants to shelter each other 

 from the effects of high winds. They are kept pruned much 

 lower than in the Dutch island, the average height they are 

 allowed to attain being only four feet ; and where the soil is poor, 

 or the situation not well sheltered, the cutting of the trees to a 

 still lower point is advocated. "Weeding, manuring, and all the 

 details of scientific cultivation are carefully observed. The value 

 of the manures imported in 1876, almost entirely for coffee plan- 

 tations, amounted to £140,809, or about $704,045. 



There is, however, a dark spot on the coffee industry in Cey- 

 lon. In the year 1869 the Ceylon planters were disturbed by the 

 appearance of a fungus, which two or three years later had be- 

 come and has ever since remained a source of serious injury to 

 the crops. It is known as the Hem/ileia vaMatrwo, or leaf disease, 

 and is the same pest that annoys the planters in Java and other 

 producing points. How to stamp out this coffee-leaf fungus has 

 been a leading question in Ceylon for the past ten or twelve 

 years. Recently several reports have been made by Government 

 and other authorities, but as yet no positive remedy has been 

 found that will cause it to disappear. The deficiencies in the 

 crop are attributed to this evil, as the disease destroys the leaves, 

 and their continued renewal so draws upon the vitality of the 

 tree that its power to mature a crop is largely reduced. 



Last year a number of experiments were made by Mr. Schrotty, 

 a chemist, who publishes the result in the following opinion : 



" I have all along been of opinion that the relative intensity 

 with which coffee-leaf disease develops and spreads on certain 

 trees, while on others in close proximity the attack is confined 

 to a few of the oldest leaves only, and is easily shaken off, can 

 only be due to the sap of one tree being in a certain condition 



