Coffee Cultivation in Berbice. 281 
There were several reasons for this, but the principal 
one was, that the negroes, when entirely free, would 
not pick the crop. At first they would do a little. For 
instance a woman would go aback and bring in a basket 
of coffee about 12 o'clock, for which she got a 
guilder. When urged to go and pick a second 
or third basket, which could easily be done, and 
Was done under the coercive system, the answer 
was " No, I am not inclined to work any more to-day, I 
have earned my guilder and am satisfied." The conse- 
quence was that half the crop fell from the trees and 
was lost ; for, when once ripe, the berry does not remain 
long on the trees. When the negroes bought land, and 
lived in their own houses, the coffee-estates got none of 
their labour, for it all went to the sugar-estates, where 
they preferred going, when disposed to work for money 
wages. They showed a marked preference for working 
on the sugar-estates. This really was the cause of coffee 
cultivation being abandoned. It was not so much a 
question of price, but simply the want of labour. The 
only supply of labour in the country was that of the 
emancipated negroes ; and that was withheld. Besides 
which the estates lost their market for plantains. For- 
merly the coffee-estates not only fed their own gangs 
with their plantains, but had contracts with the sugar- 
estates to supply them ; and so they were sure of a sale 
for their plantains. After freedom this market was lost, 
and there was nothing to meet the current expenses of 
coffee cultivation ; and very soon the negroes themselves 
became growers of plantains. So there was nothing 
for it but to give up and go ! The buildings were sold 
