^ MONTHLY.  1> 
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Vol.  XV.]  COLOMBO, 
COFFEE  IN  SOUTHERN  ABYSSINIA. 
N the  Cotton  and  Coffee  tree  of 
Southern  Abyssinia  tradition 
assigns  to  the  countries  of 
Enarea  and  Caffa  the  indigenous 
residence  of  the  Coffee  plant. 
In  Shoa  Proper  the  cultivation 
and  consumption  are  strictly 
interdicted,  as  savouring  too 
strongly  of  the  abhorred  Mohammedan ; but  the 
plant  in  proper  situations  grows  strong  and  healthy 
and  in  all  the  bordering  districts  subject  to  Sohela 
Selassie,  where  the  restriction  is  not  enforced,  there 
the  plantations  are  numerous  and  thriving. 
Planted  before  the  rains,  the  seed  soon  appears 
above  the  ground,  and  when  sis  months  old  the 
offspring  is  transferred  to  take  the  place  of  some 
worn-out  tree. 
Water  and  the  manure  of  the  sheep  arc  plenti- 
fully supplied,  and  the  crop,  which  from  a full-bearing 
adult  is  generally  from  thirty  to  forty  pounds,  is 
gathered  in  March  and  .'ipril.  Averaging  from  eight 
t)  ten  feet  in  height,  with  dark  shining  foliage, 
and  branches  loaded  with  fruit,  it  grows  luxuriantly 
in  the  valleys  in  any  sheltered  situation,  delighting 
especially  in  the  soil  produced  by  a decomposition 
of  trap  lock,  which  has  been  washed  down  from  the 
adjacent  heights ; and  although  taking  six  years  to 
arrive  at  maturity,  it  yields  a slight  return  on  the 
second  season  of  its  transplantation,  ihe  berries  are 
in  the  first  instance  of  a dark  green  hue  which 
before  pulling  is  suffered  to  turn  red,  a white  milky- 
iooking  pulp  called  gullaboo  meanwhile  filling  up 
the  space  between  the  cuticle  and  the  seed,  llariug 
been  shaken  and  gathered  from  jihe  branches,  the 
crop  is  spread  in  the  suii  until  the  pulp  liceomc.s 
sufficiently  dry  to  admit  of  its  removal,  which,  by 
continual  free  ventilation  out  of  doors,  is  usually 
the  case  in  one  month.  The  seeds  intended  for  the 
plantation  are  not  divested  of  the  husk,  but  sown 
by  the  handful  in  a small  plot,  w'hich  is  carefully 
manured  and  watered,  and  the  gullaboo,  sold  separ- 
ately fioui  the  beau,  is  employed  as  a beverage  with 
FEB  1ST,  1896.  [No.  8. 
the  decoction  of  the  choat.  For  the  better  security 
of  his  own  monopoly  at  the  ports  of  Vyayla  and 
Berbera,  the  Emir  of  Hurrur  opposes  the  importation 
of  Coffee  into  his  own  dominions, . both  from  Shoa 
and  from  the  country  of  the  Gal!a.  The  plant  is 
extensively'  and  successfully  cultivated  ; but  the  price 
given  at  Hurrur  is  high  in  comparison  with  that 
paid  in  Abyssinia;  and  the  average  demanded  on  the 
coast  by  the  merchants  of  the  former  principality, 
vary'ing  from  five  pence  to  seven  pence  a pound, 
would  seem  to  bo  in  unison  with  that  customary  at 
Massowah  in  the  Ked  Sea. 
The  difficulties  attending  the  tedious  road  to  the 
coast;  the  lazy  indifferent  character  of  the  Danakil 
camel  owners,  who,  I’cgardless  of  the  value  of  time, 
spend  mouths  upon  the  journey  ; and  the  fitful  caprice 
evinced  by'  the  various  chieftains  through  whose  terri- 
tories the  caravan  must  pass — all  form  great  obstacles 
to  the  conveyance  of  the  cheaper  produce  from 
Abyssinia,  although  they  might  doubtless  be  overcome 
within  a reasonable  period  by  the  well-directed  efforts 
of  British  perseverance.  In  Caff.i  and  Enarea,  coffee 
grows  wild  like  a weed  over  the  rich  surface  of  the 
country.  The  beverage  is  in  universal  use  among 
the  inhabitants;  the  price  paid  is  almost  nominal; 
and  the  convenience  of  water  carriage  is  alone 
wanting  towards  the  transportation  of  the  product 
in  unlimited  quantities  to  every  portion  of  the  globe. 
Cotton  of  two  kinds  grows  in  the  sequestered  nooks 
of  the  eastern  face  of  the  mountains  of  Shoa,  and 
in  the  valleys  at  the  extreme  foot  of  the  range ; 
but  from  the  superior  luxuriance  of  the  plant,  and 
the  amount  of  crop  produced  in  the  lower  situations 
the  natural  climate  would  appear  to  exist  in  those 
snelterod  spots  which  in  atmosphere  much  resemble 
the  more  favoured  parts  of  Western  India.  The 
Efat  shrub  varies  according  to  the  locality  and 
supply  of  water,  from  three  feet  in  height  to  upwards 
of  seven,  and  usually  assuming  the  form  of  a pyramid, 
extends  its  lower  branches  to  a width  equal  to  the 
stature ; the  size  of  the  leaves,  and  the  soft  and 
yielding  nature  of  the  stem,  imparting  a strong  ex- 
ternal resemblance  to  the  Bourbon  cotton.  Eight 
and  nine  inches  in  circumfei'ence  are  not  unfre- 
quently  attained ; and  the  advantages  of  a very  pro- 
