THE WET CYCLE AND SHORT CROPS. 103 
3rdly, early pruning: even at some sacrifice of crop, 
1 would strongly recommend that this operation should. 
be commenced if possible in the beginning of January. 
{I am writing for estates situated at an elevation of 
from 3,000 to 4,000 feet and upwards.) Lower estates 
commence pruning earlier as arule. February, March, 
and April, are the months we have to rely upon 
most for blossom; early pruning would force this out 
before the wet season set in, and should not extend 
beyond March; if it could be finished by the end of 
February, the results would be all the more satisfac- 
tory. 4th, constant handling. Besides going over the 
whole estate rapidly, at least three times a year, I 
would employ a small force regularly during the in- 
tervals between the different handlings to remove and 
check the too rapid growth of young woed which we 
all know is excessive in wet districts. The trees 
should have all young weod taken off in a radius of 
say 12 to 15 inches from the stem; the more the 
midday sun can get to the stem and roots round the 
stem the better. The more mature the bearing wood 
at high elevations, the greater the chance of the 
Dlossom setting. 
5th, the early application ef manure im all cases if 
practicable. I would apply bulky manures such as 
cattle manures, pulp, rotten grass, and weeds, during 
the months of January, February, ana March, and 
all artificial manures during the months of April, 
May, and June, commencing with the first rains. 
Farm-yard manure containing so much mixture, 70 
per cent of water when well rotted, can be applied 
during the driest weather without disadvantage: the 
manures for high estates should be stimulating ones, 
especially when situated in cold as well as wet clim- 
ates. They require different treatment to those situ- 
ated in hot and dry localities. Long experience and 
careful observation are the surest guides, but this 
subject would require a treatise of itself. 6th, hand 
weeding is essential. “Shuck Coffee Tree,” in a letter 
recently published in the Qdserver, truthfully describes 
the injurious effects of scraping, whether with mamo- 
ties or scrapers. Where draining, and the cutting 
of water-holes such as I have mentioned, are carried 
eut, the surface in each acre to be actually weeded 
is reduced fully one-fourth, Contractors where they 
are employed (and a fatal day for coffee estates was 
it when that system was introduced, although it has 
doubtless enriched a few superintendents but not the 
proprietors) would have then much less ground to go 
over, the holes themselves would form ready and con- 
venient receptacles for the weeds, and I apprehend 
there would be little or no difficulty in entirely su- 
