February i, 1889.] THF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
569 
LIBERIAN COFFEE. 
In answer to the queries of our coiresponcL nt 
" Ebor,*" who writes from Southern India, we have 
to say, that, except as qualified by its more limited 
cultivation, Liberian coffee in Ceylon was as 
bitter a disappointment as the Cinchona enter- 
prise has proved. One of the qualities which chiefly 
recommended it to European plantors, was its 
being essentially a lowcountry plant, calculated 
to flourish in a zone where the Arabian spe- 
cies could not be profitably cultivated, although 
the latter grew around native cottages and huts 
where fertilizing matter was abundant. We be- 
lieve instances were mentioned of specimen bushes 
being grown at as high an elevation as 2,000 feet in 
the genial climate of Haputale, but we are not 
aware that a Liberian coffee plantation was ever 
attempted above 1,000, or, at the utmost 1,500 feet 
above sea-level. By far the larger number of the 
experiments were under 500 feet. We do not, 
therefore, believe, that the plant could be success- 
fully cultivated at 3,000 to 1,000 ! feet, however 
exceptionally mild the climate might be at such 
an elevation. In by far the larger portion of Ceylon, 
— in all the northern districts of the hillcountry, — 
an altitude of 1,500 feet was the limit beyond which 
even Coffea arabica did not succeed. The second 
question of our correspondent ' Ebor" is answered 
above. As we do not believe that the plant would 
llourish at 3,000 to 4,000 feet, it is superfiuom to 
deal with probable crop. In a suitable climate 
about 4 or 5 cwt of clean coffee might be expected 
in the fourth year, but tho difficulty and expense 
of the pu ping and cleaning processes proved in 
Ceylon to be very high from the enormous pro- 
portion of- skin to fruit in the cherries, many of 
which, too, refused to ripen, and so gave in- 
ferior beans. 
There was talk of a Cape Coast variety better 
than tho Liberian, but it was never seen here, 
to our knowledge. The Liberian, amongst fine 
trees, always produced a proportion of others 
with long, elastic stems which were useless. 
The enterprise, however, — into which the writer 
of this arliele entered enthusiastically, paying 
R500 for 1.000 plants and large sums for seed, — 
might have proved a fair success but for tho 
existence in tho island of leaf disease. We always 
cherished and expressed the hope that the large 
leathery foliage of the Liberian coffeo would re- 
sist the fungus. On the contrary, — and this was 
tho final reason why we extirpated our Liberian 
bushes and substituted tea, — just in proportion to 
the onormous size of tho leaves was the virulence 
of tho disease. Tho vegotation was coloured deep 
orange with the spores of H> milt in vatUttrix, and 
a larger proportion than ever of tho berries then failed 
to ripen. 
A rainfall of 70 inches i/v// distributed would 
probably suflico, undor circumstances othorwiso 
favourable , but tho rainfall of the native habitat 
of the plant is 150 inches. Liberian coffeo generally 
boro the selling rate to Arabian of not more than i"70 
to i'JO in consequence of its alleged coarser quality. 
Hut Mincing Lano fights shy of now products, 
and prejudice might havo been ultimately over- 
come, had tho other objections of disproportion- 
ate waste of matter, non-ripening berries and viru- 
lent loaf disooso not stood in the way of porso- 
vcring oflort. 
• 8e« page 51"».— Ed. 
If any trial is made seed ought to be got direct 
from Liberia or from si me place (neither Ceylon 
nor Java), where the leaf fungus does not pro- 
vail. In North Borneo and the Straits 
plantations of Liberian coffee still exist and 
they are occasionally written about as if they 
promised to be a good investment. But if, as 
seems probable, leaf disease in, however, slight a 
form is present, or will appear we fear disap- 
pointment such as has occurred in Ceylon is but 
a question of time. 
With our light wo answer the final query in the 
negative. 
It may be interesting to see how the exporta 
of Liberian coffee from Ceylon have fallen off of 
late years : — 
STS OF JjIISERIAN (. OFFEE FROJI UEYJ.ON. 
1881 242 owt. 
1882 1,270 
1883 1,827 „ 
1884 3,412 „ 
1885 5,326 „ 
1886 3,854 
1887 3,419 
1888 1,818 „ 
From the Perak Government Gazette of Jan. 11th, 
we make an extract which has a bearing on our 
subject : — 
COFFEE CULTIVATION IN THE I'EOTECTED MALAYAN 
STATES. 
The subjoined extract irom page 171 of these reports, 
ou the subject of Coffee Cultivation in the Native States, 
will be of local interest : — " Coffee does not appear to be 
grown iu the British Settlements of Singapore, PenaDg 
and Malacca, exceotiu gardens, and on a very small 6cale, 
but in the three Native States of Perak, Sungei Ujong, 
and Selangor, taken under our protection iu 1874, 
its cultivation has been introduced, and some interest- 
ing exhibits from Perak testify to the adaptability of 
the hoil and climate for its production. In Perak, 
where mouutaiu ranges, reaching 7,000 feet, occupy a 
large portion of a well-watered country, a con- 
siderable acreage above 1,000 feet elevation is re- 
ported to bo suitable for coffee cultivation, whilst 
the Liberian sort thrives on the lower slopes and 
the plains. In Selangor planting has only been intro- 
duced during the last tew years, whilst in Sungei 
Ujong estates have been established on the slopes 
of the Berumbuu range, which rises to a height of 
3,000 to 4,000 feet and the cultivation of Liberian 
has been introduced on the low lands. Of the fourteen 
exhibits from Perak, five are from the Exporiui'iital 
Hill Gardens opened by Government; the sample 
marked Hill Garden is strong and full favoured, and 
worth 00s; th se marked Waterloo and Hermitayc havo 
probably suffered somewhat in drying, being coarse 
and musty iu the cup, and worth 70s to 76s. Such 
kinds, if properly prepared on the spot, or in London, 
slioulil the necessary appliances not exist at tho 
plantations, and if perfect lv sweot and clean, would 
supply an extremely good quality, suitable for home 
consumption as well as export, the coffee being, for 
size, colour, and general appearance, on a par 
with good Ceylon plantation. The climate, soil, and 
rainfall are all that can be wished on the JYrak hills, but 
the great drawback hitherto has been the cost of labour 
which, however, has now been arranged satisfactorily, 
and the difficulty of transport. One sample of largo 
pale berries, very smooth, but out of condition and 
mildewed, would be worth 60s. if sound ; two of 
Liberian — viz., Lindum Estate, in Sungei Ujong, and 
Waterloo, were verv large, and worth 53s. to 55s., 
and three of ordinary Liberian quality, 18s. to 52s. 
per cwt.; the remainder consisted of parchmeut 
and cherry. 
" The growth of Liberian is not to be enoouraged 
for tho reasons stated above, under the head of Ceylon. 
" Samples ot Hnli, Honthyne, and Philippine effee 
exhibited in the division of Straits Settl- nients, were 
probably not BttMtb grown, but the produce of MOM 
of the Dutch inland* in the neighbourhood of the 
Straits." 
