302 NOTES ON ECONOMIC PLANTS. 



at least a few may be found to fruit freely. So far, orange 

 cultivation in the Straits has not been very successful, the 

 plants grow freely enough, but produce but little fruit. Some 

 China oranges planted on the Woodneuk Estate in Singapore 

 produced during the first year a perfect crop of yellow oranges, 

 next year a crop of a greener nature, and the third crop was 

 entirely green. For some years past they have ceased pro- 

 ducing edible fruit. How far cultivation may be to blame for 

 these results is not known, but the stock now on hand will 

 shew what can be done to acclimatize and cultivate this favou- 

 rite fruit. 



BEVERAGES. 



LiBERIAN COFFEE [Coffea liberica) is becoming an establish- 

 ed product of the Straits, but its proper cultivation is far from 

 being properly understood. Drainage is too little attended to 

 by some ; others by starting the plant in very rich compost 

 change the character of the roots to an extent that unsuits 

 them for penetration of the natural soil. When these errors 

 and some others get corrected, the adaptability of the plant 

 for cultivation here will then shew itself in its true character. 

 Plants of this Coffee are under various treatment in the 

 Experimental Nursery, but it would be premature at present 

 to detail these, I may state however that the plant will not 

 bear manuring in the ordinary way when in fruit, manure 

 should therefore be applied in liquid form, or as top dressing, 

 when given to encourage the welling of the berries. When 

 the soil is disturbed around the plant when in fruit, a large 

 number of the berries wither and die owing to the destruction 

 of rootlets in the manuring process, and which renders the act 

 a loss instead of a gain. 



MAROGOGEPIE COFFEE [Coffea sp). — Three plants of the 

 Coffee known as " Marogogepie " and very favourably reported 

 on some little time ago by the Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, 

 were received from Kew during the year and have grown with 

 less vigour than the Liberian kind, but with almost double 

 that of Arabian Coffee [Coffea arabica). The leaves are some- 

 what larger than the Arabian kind, so that the plant seems 

 from its growth to approach an intermediate form between 

 Coffea liberica and Coffea arabica, and is not as yet affected 



