COFFEE-PLANTING 291 



possible, but, failing that, with wood ashes, a small 

 stick being thrust into the exact centre of each to 

 mark the spot which the young coffee plant wiU 

 occupy. All this while the latter has been growing 

 from seed in a sheltered, well-tended nursery. At 

 the commencement of the rainy season, the seedlings 

 are planted out in the pits, and thereafter require 

 but little attention beyond that necessitated by 

 measures for their periodical weeding. 



The first crop makes its appearance in three 

 years. During the months of June and July the 

 berries are carefully picked and subjected to a 

 process called pulping. This removes the sweet, 

 cherry-like matter surrounding the actual beans, 

 two of which are found in each " cherry." * This 

 process over, they are placed in a receptacle in 

 which they are permitted to ferment for a. couple 

 of days, and are then washed with copious sluicings 

 of water to carry off the sweet, fleshy matter which 

 forms their external envelope. Large cane mats 

 are then obtained, and the coffee beans spread out 

 upon them and carefully dried in the sun. They 

 are then sacked up. 



Settlers engaged in coffee-planting in the neigh- 

 bouring colony of Nyasaland usually commence by 

 obtaining an area of from 500 to 1,000 acres of 

 land. This they plant out with coffee by degrees, 

 as a rule, the first year's work producing probably 

 50 to 100 acres of young coffee trees, the second 

 year a similar space being added to the plantation. 

 At the end of the third year, the first 50 acres yield 



* The word " cherry " has been widely adapted to designate the 

 coffee-berry, owing to the resemblance the latter bears to that fruit. 



