23 
The first crop from the older trees was picked in 1893. "This year 
about one-half the plantation is in bearing. The cacao shows signs of- 
bearing in its third year from “see, and the coffee two years from 
— of planti ng out from the nursery. Before the whole of the 150 
will begin to yield a -fettrh three years must yet elapse. 
pel cost of clearing forest, — out, and weeding for the first. 
four years is on an average of a 4l. per annum per aere. That is 
to say, an estate of 150 acres in A fourth year would represent 
2,4007. capital spent on cultivation. This includes the cost of manage- 
ment and all expenses of labour, but not cost of plants or first cost of 
-— — after the fourth year it is reckored that the cost will fall to 37., 
n the se venth year to 27. This is accounted for by the s of 
ditur tree rv We sufficient shade to cover the whole of the ground, thus 
causing less weeding. It is now estetfated d that one man ean keep 
3 acres clean, and the cost of that labour is about 9/. per head per 
annum. The weeds are well kept down throughout the estate, and the 
surface of the ground mn nod tilled by Krooboy and native 
se of a hoe. Under such careful management insects 
vigour, the young trees being in full bloom. Mr. Batty everywhere 
acts according to the maxim that what is worth doing is worth doing 
well. 
Cacao-curing.—The beans are fermented for three days, then placed 
on shelves in the drying house for two days. After that are exposed 
to the sun direct for two or three weeks until thoroughly 
Coffee-curing vu present the dry process is adopted, n when the 
yield increases the usual wet process will be used. ‘The berries are now 
placed on pat drying ground first, as they are picked from the trees and 
allowed to n there for a period of six x weeks, and when dry they 
are juideli in pere by hand till the husks and parchment come off. 
(Signed) J. R. Hotmes, 
District Commissioner. 
CCCCXXXIX.—DECADES KEWENSES. 
PLANTARUM Novarum iN HERBARIO Horti REGII CONSERVATARUM; 
DECAS XIII. 
This decade er of descriptions = new plants collected by Mr. 
aurice S. Evans, of Natal, during a trip made in July 1894 to the. 
Drakensberg, for the purpose of exploring some caves formerly occupied 
x the Bushmen. The part of the Drakensberg Range where they were 
lies between Cathkin Peak and Giants Castle, at an elevation 
of 6,000 to 9,000 feet above the sea, among the sources of Bush 
's River. ‘This region is about the highest part of the Drakensberg. 
and has — A e$ visited by or before, hence it was only to 
be expected the collection should contain several novelties. 
Practically duy “little of the Drakensberg has been explored botanically, 
A 2 
