A.— COFFEE. 



A Short Treatise on Coffee Planting as applicable to Jamaica, by W. A. Sabonadiere, formerly of Ceylon r 

 and now of Arntully, Coffee Plantation, Blue Mountain District. 



Introductory Eemarks. 



The Coffee bush is a native of Abyssinia, whence it must have been introduced into Arabia ; but 

 it was not till the year 1652 that Coffee was introduced into London as an article of commerce, and 

 that the first Coffee-house was opened by a Greek named Pasqua Rossie. 



For some years after the introduction of Coffee into Europe, the only source of supply was Arabia, 

 but in 1690 the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies received a few seeds, and planted them in 

 a garden at Batavia. The plants grew and flourished so well that the culture was extended in Java, 

 and a plant was sent to the Botanic Garden at Amsterdam. Young plants from the seeds of the Am- 

 sterdam shrub were sent to Surinam, where the cultivation was established in 1718. The West Indies 

 received plants ten years later. Thus the progeny of the single Coffee shrub growing in the Amster- 

 dam Botanic Garden now produces more Coffee than all the other plants in the world. 



The Coffee tree in its native state will grow to 15 or 20 feet in height ; the leaves are a dark 

 glossy green, like Laurel ; the blossom is similar to Jasmine with a strong odour, the fruit is some- 

 what like a cherry, of an oval shape, each cherry contains two cells, and each cell one bean or seed, un- 

 less by a freak of nature it happens to be a Pea Berry, containing only one. 



Selection of Land, Soil, Elevation', etc. 



Judging from my Jamaica experience of nearly four years I would name 2,500 to 3,500 feet above 

 the sea as the best elevation for Coffee in Jamaica, The safest limit on the Blue Mountain Range is 

 4,000 feet, above which I should now be loth to plant, unless I was compelled by having no other avail- 

 able land. I deem 4.500 to 5,000 feet certainly too high, especially in spots exposed to cold and wind ; 

 for the winters here are far more marked, and "Northers" more frequent than they are in Ceylon at 

 like elevation ; and I fancy it is the same as in Ceylon, in countries as near the Equator. Below 2,500 

 feet it might be advantageous to grow Coffee under moderate banana or other suitable shade — trumpet 

 trees are used for that purpose in the Manchester hills. The best aspect for Coffee is an eastern one, 

 facing the rising sun ; the best land, undulating or a moderate slope strewn with boulders, or un- 

 der ledges of rock; the best soil is chocolate-coloured mould, due to the decomposition of rocks contain- 

 taining felspar. The fault of Jamaica land in the Blue Mountains, is that it is mostly very steep, ar_d 

 so land has to be selected here and there where most suitable, thus causing Jamaica Coffee estates to 

 be generally in detached fields and spread over a large extent of land, though the planted area is quite 

 small as comparedjto the large properties in the East Indies, where thousands of acres could be walked 

 through with scarcely a break. This extensive felling of the forest perhaps made Ceylon more liable 

 to attacks from various enemies of the Coffee tree, such as Black Bug and Leaf Disease, the latter as 

 is well known having nearly ruined the Coffee Planters. It may be that our compulsory retention of 

 so much bush has been the saving of our Jamaica properties in this respect. When planting Coffee, 

 all ridges should be left uncleared as shelter against cold and wind, and because the Coffee seldom or 

 never thrives upon them. 



Climate. 



As to Climate none seems more suitable than that of Jamaica for Coffee planting ; though occa- 

 sionally in the high mountains northers, cold, heavy wash, and breakaways do much damage. In 

 the Manchester mountains and lower districts it may sometimes be too dry, and the want of good 

 running streams for water power must be a great drawback. 



Felling, Clearing, and Lopping. 



In Jamaica, felling and lopping is commonly done by job work, as much as 4s. per square chain 

 being given for that work if the wood-land is heavy, and a proportionate sum for clearing and making 

 ready for lining and holing. Here on steep land not very heavily timbered I have had both works 

 done for £2 10s. an acre. 



The trees should be well and evenly lopped and laid as level as possible so as to secure a good burn, 

 and the felled land should be allowed to lie from six weeks to three months before fire is applied ac- 

 cording to the weather that has previously prevailed. If land could be planted without burning and 

 the virgin soil thus preserved intact it would be a great saving of humus, but it would cause all other 

 works of planting and weeding to be excessively expensive. The best time for felling is towards the 

 end of the year so as to secure a good burn before April when it is the best time to commence planting. 

 Good burns may also occasionally be had in August and September, and the planting done during the 

 October seasons, but the Spring seasons are undoubtedly the best for planting. 



Nurseries. 



In Jamaica, nurseries are not so much the rule as they were in Ceylon, the common practice seems 

 to be to purchase plants, here called suckers, from settlers, and stump them or put them out as flying 

 suckers as may be most 'suitable : on the old Estates under the large trees, self-sown plants (from the 

 "rat" Coffee) may generally be found, and when carefully selected, are almost as good as Nursery 

 Plants, but to the latter must be yielded the palm, especially if they can be put out with a ball of the 

 original mould adhering to the roots ; but it is very difficult in the Blue Mountains to meet with a 

 nice level and not stony piece of land suitable for a Nursery, and near a spring for watering purposes. 



