24 COFFEE PLANTERS’ MANUAL. 
hand where the soil is poor, or the spot blown, I 
would be content with 2}, 2, or even 14 feet accord- 
ing to circumstancs. In strong soil where the trees 
do not suffer from wind, a 33 feet shrub will yield 
as much crop as it can safely carry: and it is a much 
handier size than if it were allowed to grow taller, 
The cutting off the top prevents the tree attaining a 
greater height. But it should not be cut till the 
brown bark shew. If cut while green, the top will 
die back to the brown wood, and you will lose one 
or two pairs of branches, or more. 
STAKING should be begun about March, so as to 
be completed before the setting-in of the south-west 
monsoon about the Ist of June. It is seldom necess- 
ary till the second year after planting: as, if the 
plants have been put out between June and Decem- 
ber, they will scarcely be tall enough to feel the 
wind by the following June, for they will only prob- 
ably be 9 to 12 inches high: and at that age they 
will bend to the breeze. When, however, they get 
to the height of 18 inches or 2 feet, if in an exposed 
situation, the wind takes a strong hold, and twists 
and wriggles about the tree to such an extent that 
it often dies out: or if it do not immediately it has 
frequently a sickly struggle for a long time, till it 
make new roots and they take a firm hold of the 
ground. Often the twisting and whirling about of 
the tree leaves a hole around its stem, which if not 
noticed and pressed around with the foot so as to 
replace the forced back earth, the monsoon rains fill 
the hole and rot the roots. The tree then withers 
and dies, It is important therefore to go frequently 
over the clearing and inspect all the blown trees ; 
for even staked trees frequently suffer in the way 
above described, while, if they were left unstaked, 
they would suffer and perish in much greater num- 
ber. Some districts and some estates however do not 
suffer from wind at all: and where this is the fortun- 
ate case staking is necessary. The mode of staking 
is as tollows:—Take a picket similar to that you 
have used to peg out the ground for planting—like 
it too, pointed, but a little longer. If the tree be 2 
feet or more in height, 3 to 4 feet is a very com- 
mon and very suitable size; but you will require that 
height, as you will lose from 6 inches to 1 foot 
under ground, while the angle at which you place it 
will use up another 6 inches. It should be driven 
in slantingly across the tree like an X, and with its 
head facing the point whence the wind blows. Tie 
it about half way up to the peg with a loose loop 
or noose at the end adjoining the stem, to admit of 
a little pay without chafing the tree; and coir rope 
