32 COFFEE PLANTERS’ MANUAL. 
among planters on the several branches of this import- 
ant operation. I shall content myself therefore with 
describing how I would prune a coffee tree. For this 
purpose I shall assume a tree as a type of a field that 
has had moderately fair and not very bad treatment, 
and shall suppose the season to be after crop. I would 
commence by cutting off the dead wood, as far back 
as the first living eye: Then I would pluck off the 
suckers ; then thin out the centre by divesting it of 
every shoot a span back from the stem. This is 
necessary to give the tree ventilation, and to let the 
sun penetrate through it to the earth, thus warming 
into activity its dormant elements: preventing the 
accumulation of moss, and rendering the tree manageable 
to both searchers and pickers. I further believe that, 
by well opening out the centre, the tree is- much 
less liable to be attacked by bug than when close and 
impenetrable. I would then take off all cross branches, 
7. €., those which either from accident, injury, wind 
or any other cause take a different course from that 
which nature intended them to have. If left to grow 
in the course they have chosen, they either cover up 
other branches and prevent them from bearing, or 
grow into the centre, choking it up, and retarding 
free circulation. Be bold therefore, and though it be 
a good branch pluck it off. If you find more than 
one shoot at each eye on the lateral boughs, pluck 
it or them off, leaving only on the quantity nature 
intended the tree to have. I now come to what I 
consider the most important step in the pruning of 
the tree—the secondaries—because you are to deal with 
what is to givea great part of your next year’s crop. 
A writer whom I have already quoted, ‘‘W.”, a well- 
known planter of great experience (but, having written 
under cypher, I have noright to unveil his incognito), in 
an able paper on pruning which he addressed some 
year’s ago to the Planters’ Association, describes this 
operation and that of handling generally, so well, that 
I take the liberty of giving his directions in his own 
words:—‘‘To ensure a regular and strong tree then, 
‘‘handling must be resorted to early. In doing so take 
‘Soff all the branches that are within 6 inches of the 
‘““stem, and make an opening of one foot in circum- 
‘‘ference in the centre of the tree. This, besides 
‘strengthening the primaries, will admit the sun and 
“air to penetrate, both of which are beneficial to the 
““srowth of the tree, as wellas the ripening of crop. 
““ Next run along the primaries and single out the 
“‘secondaries, leaving no pairs, but one secondary only 
“fat each joint, on either side of the primary alternately. 
“‘This I know is thought very unnecessary by a large 
‘‘class of planters, but if they will only study the tree 
