246 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [September r, 1881. 
Dominica was essentially a coffee country ; at one 
time, indeed, over three million pounds of this staple 
were exported annually, and the coffee was of so fine 
a quality that the Dominica produce usually obtained 
the highest price in the English market. Unfortunately, 
however early in the present century a blight attacked 
the j tree and within a few years it committed such ravage 
that the cultivation of coffee became almost extinct. 
Naturally, on the introduction into Dominica of a 
new species of coffee, more vigorous than that of 
Arabia, hopes were entertained that the leaves would 
be impervious to the ravages of the blight, and these 
hopes, happily, were fully realized, for the young 
plants soon shot up into vigorous large shrubs free 
from blight, and loaded with flowers and ripe and 
unripe berries. This immunity from blight enjoyed 
by Liberian coffee is, fas Dr. |Nicholls say?, of the 
utmost importance to the welfare of Dominica and 
the neighbouring colonies, both English and French, 
for there is now nothing to prevent the islands of the 
Lesser Antilles from being once more large coffee- supply- 
ing countries. In Dominica the cultivation of coffee may 
be said to be re-established, although it is only yet in its 
infancy, and the productiveness of the Liberian trees is 
a matter of astonishment to those of the older residents, 
who remember the coffee estates of 40 years ago. The 
Liberian coffee plant is much larger than that of Arabia, 
being, indeed, in its native state, a small tree. It has 
several other characteristics which render its cultivation 
different from that of its Arabian congener, and gives 
it several advantages all in favour of the planter. Lb 
leaves are much larger; it flowers for several months, so 
that flowers and berries may be found on the same plant, 
and the berries are twice the size of the ordinary coffee 
bean. The ripe berries do not fall from the tree, like 
the ordinary coffee plant, but remain on the tree, with- 
out detriment to their quality, for weeks; an important 
feature where it may be difficult to procure the labour 
necessary for speedy gathering. Dr. Nicholls gives 
many useful details as to the mode of cultivation and 
preparation. The flavour of the coffee, he maintains, 
is excellent, and he adduces evidence to show that it 
is quite as good as Java coffee. The success of the 
Liberian coffee in Dominica has been so great that 
already large supplies of berries are exported to several 
neighbouring islands. Tbe history of the establishment 
of the new cultivation, Dr. Nicholls tells us, is full 
of promise to the future of the island. The plant is 
thoroughly acclimatized, the young trees are un- 
affected by blight, gaud their fruitfulness surpasses all 
expectations. In the island there are many abandoned 
estates, and large tracts of virgin soil, well watered 
with fine streams eminently adapted for the cultiva- 
tion of coffee ar,d limes and other tropical plants. 
The plant has also been introduced into Ceylon, and 
Liberian coffee from that island has lately obtained 
93s. per cwt. in New York market — that is, 12s. above 
tbe quotation at the time for middling plantation 
Ceylon (Arabian) coffee to the London markets.— 
London Times. 
THE PEOFIT OF CASUAEIANA CULTIVATION. 
I shall suppose that five or six acres of ground are 
available in the neighbourhood of tbe reader — it 
matters not where he may be — perhaps in Tripasore, 
perhaps in Madras, or it may be in Salem. The land 
need not be very good, common waste land will do 
very well. I shall also presume that the reader does 
not care of risk much. Then let ten neighbours club 
together. If you read this article through you will 
see how, for a very trifling outlay, a large return 
may be obtained in three or four years. To begin 
from the very beginning. Purchase 121b. of Casuarina 
seed from Madras. The cost will be E6. Sow it in 
24 small beds 10 feet long and 5 wide. • Sow on the 
strface and cover slightly with the fine soil and 
well-rotted manure, some cut straw being spread over 
the beds to protect the seedlings from the sun. Each 
bed will produce about 1,000 plants. It is calculated 
that the 24,000 plants will cost at the outside E48. 
To save the trouble and uncertainly of laising them 
from seed they can be purchased for E5 a thousand, 
i. e., E120 for 24,000. Having got the plants trans- 
plant them on cloudy days. The land should be 
prepared to receive them in the following manner. 
Plough twice, harrow and ridge. Let the ridges be 
2 feet apart. Plant the seedlings on alternate ridges 
and let each be 3 feet in front of the other. Thus 
each phut will have 12 square feet. Water immedi- 
ately after transplanting. The enst of transplanting 
will not be more than 12 annas per thousand plants. 
The ridges between the lines of casuarinas should be 
sown with castor oil beans. These will soon germinate, 
and as they grow up will afford shade for the young 
casuarinas, and the sale of beans ought to cover the 
expense of watering for the first year. Casuarinas 
should bo planted from each other at the distances 
specified and then only will they grow upright, if 
too far apart the main stem is liable to fork and 
produce many side branches, thus considerably reduc- 
ing the value of the tree. The trees will need to be 
watered only for the. first year. It is estimated that 
under very unfavourable circumstances as much as 
100 Rupees per acre will be required for the first year. 
In preparing the following estimate, two rules have 
been observed, first to calculate all outlay at the 
highest possible rate, and all income at the lowest. 
Land for casuarina cultivation may be had at 10 Eupees 
an acre. I shall put it down at 20 Eupees to be on the 
safe side. 
A casuarina tree four years old will fetch as it stands, 
not less than one rupee, I shall value it at 8 Annas. 
The profits from the castor oil-beans ire left out alto- 
gether. Here then is the cost of raising a plantation 
6 acres in extent for four years. 
E. A. p. 
24,000 plants at E5 per 1,000 120 0 0 
Ploughing 6 acres at E3 per acre ... 18 0 0 
Planting and first watering at As. 12 
per 1,000 18 0 0 
400 cart loads of manure at 8 As. per 
cart 200 0 0 
Watering for first year 600 0 0 
Cost of watching and^all sundries say 444 0 0 
Total El,400 0 0 
Each acre will contain 3,630 plants — allowing 12 
square feet for each. Supposing one Bixth dies away 
we have left 3,000 per acre. 
E. A. p. 
Sale of 3,000 x 6=18,000 plants at 
8 As. each 9,000 0 0 
Deduct gross expenditure ... 1,400 0 0 
Net profit ... 7,600 0 0 
or a return of 550 per cent. ! 
Now if ten persons shared expenses the risk of each 
would be E140 at the utmost, and the profit 760. If 
E140 be put by in a Bank the most one will get in 4 
years will be 20 or 25R. — The Eurasian and Anglo- 
Indian Advocate. 
TEA CULTIVATION AND PEEPAEATION : 
QUANTITY WITH QUALITY. 
(From the Indian Tea Gazette, 2nd July 1881.) 
I understand that a certain plantation made 81,930 
lb. of tea on a gross outlay of E36,706, equal, as 
your correspondent says, to an average of 7 annas 2 
pie per lb. ; and that 63,046 1b. of this was sold in 
Calcutta for E27.247, or, say, 7 annas a pound, being 
a little under the cost of production and delivery. 
What the balance of 18,884 lb. sold for is not stated, 
