122 
FIRST BOOK. 
^^No, that is because they have been topped. 
As soon as a tree is three or four feet high, its 
top is nipped off, and the side branches left to 
grow and spread out. If this were not done the 
trees would grow very tall, with long, trailing 
branches which would most likely get broken 
when the fruit was picked. Besides^ the trees do 
not catch the full force of strong winds when they 
are kept low. 
2. " Coffee-trees need great care to make them 
grow well. Some day you shall learn how the 
ground is made ready for them^ and how the 
young plants are reared. 
3. " Though coffee-trees like the warmth of our 
island, they do not like the clear, scorching rays 
of the sun when they are young. For that reason, 
except in the high mountains, rows of bananas 
are planted amongst them. These screen the 
young coffee-trees from the sun^ and give them 
shade. When the coffee-trees are old enough to 
bear fruit, the shade plants may be taken away; 
for a fully grown tree thrives best in the full 
sunlight.'' 
4. The boys and their teacher now walked on 
to see the fruit gathered. On the way one boy 
picked up some beans from the ground. 
''Look, sir," he said; ''have these fallen from 
the trees?" 
