^46 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [May 1, 1899. 
integrated rock in all stages of decay, and in collee 
lands this valuable material is intimately incorporated 
witii the tilth. It is, in my humble opinion, the 
backbone of both the soil and the plantiug industry. 
Would the latter have progressed for 40 years without 
this wealth of nutrient matter to support it '! 
The prevailing roelis conbist of gneiss, syenite, and 
limestone; and a reddish-coloured laterite is plentiful 
in many localities. The minerals from which a fertile 
soil is usually formed are strongly in evidence, c. q., 
felspar (in several forms), mica, hornblende, and 
possibly augite. Such being the case, I conclude 
that the inorganic portion of the soil is mostly made 
up of varying proportions of these mineral ingre- 
dients. Of organic constituents, humus is the largest 
natural deposit. But in the planting districts the 
general use of special manure has tended to greatly 
alter the nature of the soil, It will thus be seen 
that the planter possesses all the crude elements 
for forming fertile soil of an enduring character, and 
judging from the successful cultivation of one ex- 
haustive crop for periods of 30 to 40 years, the 
nutrient ingredients of this natural soil must ba 
available in proper proportion, although, in all 
probability they have not been expended lavishly. 
In this soil, I therefore think, the Coorg planter 
possesses a very sound investment. Those crumbling 
rocks will go on liberating (in some proportion to 
the pressure put upon them) nutrient material for 
thousands of yearis. 
FLORA AND FAUNA. 
Botanically, the whole country is most interesting. 
But to do justice to this section of natural history 
required time and equipment for which I was not 
prepared on this occasion. A list of such known 
plants as were observed en route is appended * to 
this paper, as also of specimens collected when there 
was an opportunity. Jilost attention was given to 
the arborescent flora, as bearing more directly on 
the special work in hand. Except in a few isolated 
instances, the trees in Coorg do not equal the 
splendid arborescent growth one sees in >tanjara- 
bad and other parts of the Mysore Malnad. But 
this is partly explained when it is remembered that 
extensive jungles of bamboo (hence the local de- 
signation) have been to a great extent replaced by 
secondary growth. Colonel Welch refers to the 
extensive and almost impenetrable growth of bamboo 
in his " IMilitary Reminiscences," 1790—1829. The 
virgin forest has also been felled to a great extent 
to make room for special and exotic trees (sec ndary 
planting) now favoured for shading and otherwise 
promoting the growth of coffee. But except for the 
arborescent growth, with a few orchids and parasites 
found upon it, the strictly industrial tract is not of 
great interest to the botanist. For profitable field 
work he prefers the primeval forest, the Uevarakad 
riverside and Cadanga, where the indigenous flora 
is more rampant. The latter position consists of 
primitive embankments or ancient lines of defence 
which are found at short intervals all over the 
country. Weeds of an exclusive kind were observed 
on several of these mounds, and are possibly due to 
a difference in the physical or mechanical condition 
of the soil. A wild or indigenous species of coffee is 
found in North Coorg. It was first brought to my 
notice by Mr. Wood, of "Ahtur" estate, who kindly 
procured me several specimens of the plant in fruit. 
The only indigenous species hitherto found in the 
south are Coffea travancorensis, W. & A., and (?. 
Wightiana, W. & A., the latter being perhaps only 
a variety of the former. I consider this the most 
important find during the tour. But the most 
attractive plant seen in quantity, in North Coorg, 
is the beautiful Barleria Gibsoni. The flora of the 
Sampagi ghat is of a ravishing description, and it is 
difficult to decide whether wealth of vegetation or 
beauty of scenery is the most attractive in this 
glorious spot. Of the fauna I practically saw nothing 
during my tour. Some of the birds of plumage are 
* [Will be published later.] 
exceedingly atnactive, and some are very destructive 
to the collee. Of the latter classs the green barbet. 
Therek ci-ijx viiidis, is one of the woret. Bees are plenti- 
ful and a giant tree having many tiers of bouey-combe 
suspended from its upper limbs is indeed a uuval 
sight. lam told that it is dilftouU to induce jungle 
experts (Kurumbers or Kaders) to collect honey from 
isolated trees owing to the limited means for beat- 
ing a hasty retreat if uecesoity should require it. 
SOUTH COOUG. 
Formerly this region was the home of the bamboo, 
whore it was the admiration of every traveller. But 
It 18 now the home of coffee, extending over a 
continuous area of many square miles. In no other 
part of India does one find so much coffee cultivated 
within a limited area. With the exception of a few 
intervening Devarakads (temple lands) the bulk of tb« 
cultivation may be described as an anbroken tract. 
Wherever one looks, hillside and valley is an unbroken 
sheet of shining green with thickly clustered berry, the 
whole being shaded by stately trees. Throughout the 
tract there is a close similarity in the nature of the 
shade, or over-growth, as also in the estate roads and 
boundaries ; so that a stranger has difficu ty in findinj} 
his way about. The ''Bamboo" is much the largest 
planting district in the province, and possesses about 
70 estates belonging to Europeans. In extent these 
gardens vary from 80 to nearly 500 acres, but in 
some cases they are not fully planted in coffee. 
The fact of their being joined on to each other as 
already stated, offers facilities for the easy spread of 
leaf disease and similar pests. The district differs 
from North Coorg in being 500 feet lower, with mostly 
an eastern or southern aspect. It is also warmer, 
somewhat drier, and more uniformly shaded through- 
out. The soil is rocky near the surface in some parts, 
while in others there are deep deposits of clay. As 
a rule the estates are very neatly kept, some of them 
being demarcated by thriving hedges of the shoe-flower, 
llibiscusrosa sinensis. Pretty bungalows crest the 
lower hills, with flowers and other signs of social 
life about them. 
NonTH COOBO. 
Here the country is of a bolder and wider type, with 
mostly evergieen forest at intervals. Coffee estates 
are fewer in number and more i.solated ; not in one 
continuous stretch as in the " Bamboo''. It is a more 
exposed region and the rainfull is comparatively 
heavy. The natural soil appears to be excellent, 
and old coffee locks well upon it. I was astonished 
at the steepness of the land in some parts, but withal 
in good growth and bearing. The scenery in North 
Coorg is delightful Owing to the heavier rainfall 
and colder aspect, estates are not so heavily shaded 
as in the south. Taking them all round, the crops 
were heavier here than in the "Bamboo." There 
were also fewer complaints of the ravages of the 
borer, an insect which prefers to bask in the southern 
sun. The mean annual rainfall for the whole 
province is 123 inches ; but the distribution is un- 
equal, being always heaviest on the west side of the 
country. In some parts of the " Bamboo ' it does 
not exceed 50 inches. 
With the foregoing attempt to show how the Coorg 
planter is situated in regard to climate, soil, and 
environment, I shall now proceed to discuss more in 
detail, some of the vital questions bearing on the 
future prosperity of the planting industry. 
SH.U)ING. 
What constitutes the best shade to coffee is still a 
keenly contested point among planters, and while one 
warmly recommends the indigenous ■' Biti" — Dalher- 
gia latifolia, another rejects this tree, and, for 
example, wholly places his trust in the exotic 
" Silver-Oak," Grevillea rohusia. But for reasons 
which shall be explained farther on, it is preferable, 
in my opinion, to employ a selection of trees to shade 
an estate; and most planters have adopted this 
plan either from necessity or choice. The trees 
mostly favoured for shading coSee are of two classes 
