EUCOFFEA HOOK. F. 83 



which has the further advantage of fading and falling off within 

 the day of Its opening, so that It Is hardly possible that It can be 

 Injured by rain or hall as Is so often the case with the delicate C. 

 arabica L. blossom. Even In the driest season, when other plants 

 appear on the point of destruction, these look cool and green and 

 do not even turn a leaf. 



(6) Cultivation cost Is slight. No pruning Is required beyond 

 pulling off suckers for the first three years. The crop Is borne on 

 the same areas of the tree (or extensions of them) year after year; 

 therefore, no old wood Is to be cut out. The tree's being tall and 

 thick, prevents the growth of weeds In large numbers; and If they 

 grow they do not affect the plant as It is deep-rooted. 



(7) Berries — size of small walnuts — remain fixed on the tree for 

 many weeks after they are ripe enough to be picked; eventually they 

 fall off and may be gathered from the ground. In case of labor 

 scarcity, this fact Is a great advantage. 



Against these good points, one may set the following: 



( 1 ) This species gives very little return until at least the fifth 

 year, while some return Is obtained from Arabian coffee plants In 

 the second year. 



(2) The commercial market value seems, as a rule, to be less. 



(3) The flowering season Is mainly In March and April, and 

 berries take 14 months to ripen, i.e., until July of the following year. 

 Thus, the tree carries two crops at one time, all mixed together in 

 the same branches. At the same time, one can see large reddening 

 fruit approaching maturity, small fruit about the size of a pea, of 

 the current season, and also large, heavily scented blossoms. All 

 these mixed together among the large, dark, glossy leaves give the 

 tree an exceedingly rich and handsome appearance. 



Uses: — As Coffea arabica L. substitute. The beans are of a 

 coarser flavor but are used universally by middlemen to strengthen 

 grades which by themselves are flavorless. The seeds contain 1.29 

 to 1.68% of caffeine. Liberian coffee which grows wild and culti- 

 vated throughout Liberia and the entire Guinean Coast, is exported 

 chiefly to England and Europe. 



Bibliography:— Bull in Retail List New, Beautlf., & Rare PL No. 

 97 (1874) 4-— Hiern In Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, (1876) 171 t. 24; 

 in Card. Chron. ser. 2, 6 (July 1876) 105 t. 27 f. b (berry) c (leaf).— 



