TREATMENT OF OVERSHADED PLANTATIONS. 33 



planted in the open. Although the leaves might be directly affected, 

 smother possible source of injury lies in the delicate texture of the 

 bark, which has been protected from the sun which now scalds, and 

 from the wind which now strains it. Many instances were observed 

 in Porto Rico where the removal of the shade had no evil effects upon 

 the coffee in cases where the leaves were thick enough to shade the 

 branches and trunks. But while this shows that exposure was not 

 directly injurious, which was already apparent from the vigorous con- 

 dition of many trees wmich had grown up in open places (PI. X), it 

 leaves the intervening causes still in doubt, since, when there were 

 enough leaves to shade the trees, the ground was also shaded. A suf- 

 ficient cause of the debility of trees which have had their accustomed 

 shade removed is perhaps to be found in the fact that in every case 

 where the symptoms were severe the ground had already been cov- 

 ered with a dense growth of grass, the evil effects of which are well 

 known in countries where open culture is customary. 



Thus does overshading produce and continually strengthen the argu- 

 ments for its own continuance, the effects of unwonted exposure being 

 interpreted as indications of the normal requirements of the coffee 

 tree. While it is undoubtedly true that the destruction of the shade 

 trees by the hurricane had a disastrous effect on many plantations, 

 it is equally true that there are many others which would receive great 

 benefit by the gradual withdrawal of a large part of the shade which 

 now discourages growth and productiveness. 



It is improbable that the shade-grown coffee could be made to succeed 

 under open culture, but if immediately after the hurricane the old 

 spindling trees had been sawed off near the ground, the sprouts which 

 would have arisen from the stumps could have been brought into bear- 

 ing under open or a reasonable shade culture much earlier than newly 

 transplanted seedlings, and thus made to yield an advantage of several 

 years of productiveness without the initial expense and delay incident 

 to new plantations. 



In connection with this advice there should, however, be mentioned 

 the fact, brought forward by Dr. Delgado, that in Venezuela the roots 

 of coffee trees grown under shade are almost entirely superficial, the 

 taproot and its branches being relatively atrophied, perhaps because it 

 has been unnecessary for the tree to seek either moisture or plant food 

 deep in the soil, This renders plantations started under shade culture 

 specially liable to injury from drought, and makes it easier to under- 

 stand why the disastrous effects of sudden exposure in heavily shaded 

 plantations is no criterion for judging the possibilities of more open 

 culture. Whether such a change is feasible depends very largely upon 

 the local conditions of climate and soil, and upon the methods used in 

 making the transformation. It has been reported that in the State of 

 Colima, Mexico, the shade trees are cut down after the coffee has 

 14652— No. 25—01 3 



