MANURING OF ESTATES. 77 
‘climate from such uncompromising materials What 
might not be done here in one of the best climates 
in the world? 
If a man cannot keep an average estate in this 
‘country in a remunerative condition, he simply shews 
be knows no more of cultivation than his grandmother. 
I deprecate the tendency in this country to whine 
over every little difficulty. A disappointed man finds 
his crop short, and, without thinking whether the 
‘cause be climatic or otherwise, puts it down to his 
hap-hazard manuring, and exclaims at once, What ’s 
the use of manure? 
Another cross-grained individual finds a spotted leaf 
which he croaks over and magnifies, until he bursts 
before the world as a great authority on ‘‘leaf disease.” 
That there are a great number of estates too far 
gone to be profitably renovated, I am but to sensible 
of: one needs only to travel in the lower districts 
to see this. It is lamentable indeed to watch how 
tenaciously the planter will stick to his weeding and 
manuring long after the dry sticks have ceased to 
give the slightest hope—better for himself, much 
better for his agents, that his energies were trans- 
ferred to Borella. But this is no reason why an aver- 
age estate favourably situated should not be kept in 
a remunerative state for all time coming. 
I shall give three instances out of many where I 
have found manures to pay :— 
No. 1.—An estate of 200 acres, altitude 3,000 feet, 
steep and rocky, ten years oid, had given two very 
heavy crops, afterwards a crop every alternate year 
which was killing the coffee out at the rate of 5 per 
‘cent per annum, barely paying expenses. Every tree 
was manured with artificial manures, partly with 
Sombreorum, but chiefly bones and poonac; crop of 
last year 7 cwt. per acre. This year 8 cwt., con- 
‘dition of trees very much improved, and not | per 
cent dead. Yearly profit £2,000. 
No. 2.—An estate of 300 acres, altitude 4,000 feet, 
soil somewhat stiff, easy undulations, ‘‘a beautiful 
sheet of coffee,” but stems of trees ‘‘ hide-bound,” 
and the wiry little branches inclined to form crows’ 
nests, average crop 3 cwt. per acre, which left a 
dead loss. Manured two years ago; crop this year 6 
‘cwt. per acre, character otf wood wonderfully im- 
proved. Profit £1,200. 
No. 3.—An old estate probably 35 years planted, 
partially abandoned for several years, crops reduced 
to 2 cwt. per acre, leaving a loss of £1,200 peran- 
num. Large portions reclaimed from lantana and man- 
ured. chiefly with poonac (which it is but right to say 
in this case we improved by passing through the cattle)- 
