CHAPTER V. 
Why Coffee-Planting Did Not '‘Pay” in the 
Early Days. 
The remark in the last chapter that tlie old syste'iu 
of weeding was no system at ail is likewise applic- 
able to that of pruning. The planter could JK>t afford 
to “lose much crop by pruning.” He would take an 
opportuniiy when any portion of the e-tate had become 
overgrown with wood, in fact run wild, so that no 
crop was on it, then to prune it, or railier cut it 
ail to pieces. Primaries would even be cut off within 
three or four inches of the stem ; at a little distance 
oft* this pruned portion of the estate would present 
all the appearance of being merely a barren piece o€ 
ground, the bare stems of the trees not being visible. 
Nothing could be more puzzling than to make a com- 
mencement on these overgrown trees. They were a 
mass of matted wood, a luxuriant vegetation of small 
twigs and leaves on the outside; inside, white, glazed, 
and dry sticks ; the best way to do with a tree of 
this sort, at least it was thought so at that time, was' 
with an open knife thrust in tlie hand lo the stem of 
the tree. Settle the knife witli the sharp edge toward* 
you, draw it out. This done two or three times made 
an opening in the tree, and you tlien saw what .you 
were about. A very usual pdan was lo prune one- 
half of the estate one year, the other the next. It 
was quite a common thing when a planter was walking 
over his estate with a friend to he-r something like 
the following expressions: — “This field has not been 
pruned for the last two years. Tite*-efore I have been 
obliged to use the knife very heavily, but it will give 
a good crop the year after next.” This was going 
in advance of “next year,” Then we would come 
to another field unprunecL The remark would be ; — 
“ We have a tolerable crop on this patch, and so I 
judged it right not to prune it. You see we cannot 
put the knife on a tree without cutting off some 
blossom, so I will take crop and prune it next year.” 
Hand saws were almost always in u>=e, one saw to 
two men. Then there was no distinct rule about top- 
ping. Some thought, the higher thdr trees were, the 
more crop they would get — for “ D'd n’t it stand to 
reason that you would get double the crop off a six 
foot tree than you would off a three foot one” 
Then, when the mistake began to be apparent, pruners 
with saws were set on, to take a foot off every tree ; 
that after a time did not do, and next season they 
were at it again taking off another foot, or perhaps 
two — no easy work it was, and a very expensive 
