COFFEE. 
123 
5. '^Yes; and I will tell you why. You see 
that they are still covered in their skin^ or parch- 
ment, as we call it. But they have lost the pulpy 
case in which they grew. A thief has eaten it." 
6. ''A thief!" cried little Tom, one of the best 
boys in his class ; I hope the planter will catch 
him." 
7. '^Oh! he catches some of the thieves/' said 
his teacher, laughing. " They are little four- 
legged ones; they are rats, which are very fond 
of the sweet pulp of the berry. The seeds they 
leave are known as 'rat-coffee', and are not worth 
as much as those that are picked from the 
tree. 
► 8. ''The coffee-trees have several enemies which 
the planter has to look after. Sometimes a kind 
of mould grows on the leaves. Sometimes, too, 
many small flies or other insects visit the trees. 
If the planter did not then work hard to cleanse 
the trees, they would die." 
9. The boys watched the pickers at work for 
some time. Then the teacher said "Good-bye" 
to the planter, who asked him to bring the boys 
another day to see his cocoa plantation. 
