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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Sept. i, 1893. 
LIBEJJIAN COFFEE CULTIVATION IN TAVOY 
The following report has been written by Mr. J. D. 
Watson, Tavoy, to the Director of the Department 
of Land Records and Agriculture, Burma: — 
The investor in coffee land for the purpose of 
planting Liberian coffee has several choices in liurma. 
The superiority of forest land over clienas, especially 
if they are recent, is very marked at low elevation, 
this system of cultivation haviug very poor results 
on soil exposed to the hot sun and heavy ra-ns of 
the plains. On the hills rich forest lands that have 
a free soil are much to be preferred. Much land of 
this description is to be fouud in Burma iu all the 
districts in Lower Burma, aud forest land should be 
selected in any case. The soil for Liberian colfee 
cannot be too rich, but it must be deep and friable. 
Shallow soil, especially if mixed with quartz and 
gravel, will not grow good Liberian coffee, but a 
sandy loam friable to a good depth ; this is of great 
importance, and in selecting soil one must take tbe 
trouble to inspect the nature of the soil down to a 
depth of 2 feet at least, and, if found friable at this 
depth, it recommends itself. Stiff marsh or clay 
land should also be avoided. All land that niiglit 
be water-logged, i.e., retain water for a long time, 
should be also avoided and friable land insisted on 
with a natural slope to drain itself. As to lay of land, 
this should be undulating and not too steep as Li- 
berian coffee is a tree that should not be exposed 
to wind, and shaded ground well protected at the 
base of our many mountains is perfection for the 
cultivation of Liberian varietv. The steep land at 
the higher elevations would be suitable for Cojfee 
Arabica and tea. Exposure to wind is a certain 
drawback to the cultivation of this variety as it is 
to any other planted product, but its iil-elfects are 
comparatively small, if the land is selected with 
care, and the wind must be very exceptionally bad, 
if other conditions which I have formerly pointed 
out are favourable. 
The best climate is undoubtedly that of the wet por- 
tion of Lower Burma (1 am here speaking of what I 
know as I have only been once up in Upper Burma, 
and I cannot say what might not be possibly attained in 
Upper Burma in those great mountain ranges which 
have all the appearance of a country that would be 
perfection itself for the cultivation of the coffee plant 
and other valuable products, such as tea, cocoa, 
pepper, and rubber, aud by appearance from what 
I have attained here Liberian coffee ought some day 
to be the king of products in Burma). A rainfall 
of 100 inches is sufficient for Liberian coffee, but 
for all that 200 inches in the Tavoy district seems 
to be in its favour; if the ground is well drained, 
this must be attended to strictly, as no coffee will 
stand what is termed xoet feci ; standing water iu 
the soil rots the roots. Elevation, where aspect and 
exposure are favourable, from sea-level up to 2,000 feet, 
each elevation having its own advantages, but the 
higher we go the greater the necessity for good soil 
and shelter from wind. 
Shade is most important in the cultivation of 
Liberian coffee until the tree once gets a good hold 
of the ground. In forest this can be done by only 
removing the small trees and scrub at first, plant- 
ing at the same time as the coffee valuable trees 
for shade (trees that are sub-soil feeders), such as 
jack and thesan tree, AlhtKxia stijyuiata, and Medeloa 
(Albizzia etata), 8a,n, (Alhizzia stipnlata), Hiris or siris 
\Prcem or Sirisu,) JPatikoia {Manjinata odoratessiam). 
All these trees are found in Burma and the Forest 
Department might be asked to secure seed of some 
and supply to intending planters. The jack tree is 
my favourite tree, and it can be turned to account 
to grow the pepper vine upon it at the same time. 
when the shade trees grow up the jungle trees 
left for the purpose of temporary shade can be 
gradually cut down and removed, or allowed to rot 
on the ground for manure. Rotten timber mixed 
with the weeds and surface soil and quicklime makes 
a splendid manure for the coffee trees, nothing better, 
l)arring cattle-dung, 
The size of the estates depends on Ike meaoeof 
the planter. But I should recommend blocks of land 
to be taken up from 200 acres up to 4,000 acres ; to 
those intending to form a company every encoarage- 
ment ought to be given. 
Seed ought to be selected from matared trees ; 
this is an important point ; and the s«ed sbonid be 
thoroughly ripe and selected from the most robust 
trees that are well formed, as Liberian coffee is in- 
clined to what is termed "sport," i'.^., you will find 
trees that do not cover ground well aud get as it 
were spindley and do not throw out branches from 
the stem near the ground: those trees should be 
avoided in selecting tte ripe cherry. Seed for plant- 
ing into nurseries should never be dried inthe^uu; 
the sun's power destroys the germ, tlie life of the 
setd. Seed ought to be all dried for seed purposes 
under shade aud never allowed to heat or ferment, 
and it oaght to be kept iu an open space to allow 
air to pass, but shaded from tbe sun's rays, aud 1 
prefer to cure seed in this manner with the husk 
uii the bean, not as parchment. Should the seed 
be wanted for seed porposcs when ripe, then by all 
means remove the husk and putiu the seed at once tu 
the ground without drying. This is a sound and sure 
plan to put into boxes or prepared beds. Aa to the 
best metliod of germinating seed there are many opi- 
nions. I have been most successful in the germinating 
of Liberian coffee seed between coir mats simply. The 
seed is laid in a layer on a coir mat, care being taken 
that the layer is a single one, and on it another mat is 
placed. If kept damp, but not wet, the seed will germi- 
nate freely and can be readily picked out. This method 
has the advantage of cleanliness. Another plan is 
to put the seed after the husk has been removed 
into coconut fibre dust into boxes, a layer of seed and a 
layer of coconut fibre until the box is full, aud put a 
piece of wood in tbe centre of the box so that you can 
draw out and put in your hand to inspect bow ger- 
minating progresses. This is a good sound plan and 
generally safe. The fibre must only be kept damp 
aud not wet. The same method may be carried out 
with charcoal where experience is wanting, as if 
too wet the charcoal takes in the extra moisture, 
and gives it out aigain, when the bean or germ re- 
quires it; any of these three methods I fully recom- 
mend. 
The formation of nursery beds is a matter which 
need not engage our attention much here. Sloping 
ground should be cboseu, with water above it it 
possible, but in any case close at hand. The beds 
should be made about 4 feet wide to facilitate sowing, 
weeding, &c., and should be raised above the piths 
between them in the usual way so as to allow 
superfluous moistur.- to run off readily. The soil 
of the nursery should not be dug too deeply, other- 
wise the tap roots of the plant will reach an inordi- 
nate length before they are put out and be most 
difiicult to deal with, but it should be thoroughly 
pulverised and cleared of all stones and roots. Soil 
with a good proportion of clay in it is better than 
what is gravelly as it enables the plant to be re- 
moved with earth round the roots. Soil in nurseries 
should be rich ; it does not answer practically to 
make them in poor soil. As regards the distance 
apart at which the seeds should be planted, much 
depends on the class of plants and the length of 
time they are intended to remain in the nursery ; 
2^ to 3 inches apart is the most satisfactory dis- 
tance. I would recommend all such nurseries to be 
shaded until tbe plant get up at least 4 or 5 inches 
and has sis or eight leaves. Out of the rains they 
thould be shaded right throughout the dry season 
here and, when the rains are well set iu, tUe shade 
should be gradually removed to allow the stem or 
collar of the plant to harden. The importance of 
watering nurseries in a liberal manner during the 
dry weather cannot, I think, be overrated. They 
should be watered thoroughly after the sun is well 
down, say, 4-30 or 5 p. m. I object to watering in 
the morning for the reason that the sun is so power- 
ful that it burns the leaves in a manner, if the 
water is not brushed off the leaves. No plant in 
fact ought to be watered in the morning in India, 
» great mistake which few understand. • « * 
