The Cultivation of Liberian Coffee. 295 
easily. The seeds are to be set in the ground with the 
flat side downwards and at a depth of about an inch and 
a half below the surface, and three or four inches from 
each other. A thin layer of finely broken charcoal may 
with advantage be placed over the seed beds, for this 
keeps down weeds and helps to retain moisture. In 
favourable weather the seeds will germinate in about six 
weeks, and the seedlings will be ready to transplant in 
about ten months. For the purpose of hardening off the 
plants I adopt the plan of transferring them, when they 
have three or four pairs of leaves, into bamboo pots, and 
when the plants are about a foot high they are put out 
into the fields. 
Having finished planting the seed in the nurseries, 
attention may now be directed to the preparation of the 
land. Forest land is, of course, the best suited for the 
new plantation, inasmuch as the plants will grow better 
in virgin soil, and will not require any manure for a long 
time. If forest land be chosen, belts of the trees should 
be left at distances of about 500 or 600 feet ; but, in 
places where destructive storms are likely to be ex- 
perienced, the belts should be much closer. On my own 
estate the coffee is planted in squares formed by inter- 
secting belts of lime trees, and these squares are 120 
feet across. When cleared land is chosen the tree belts 
should be planted, if possible, before the coffee. The 
burning of the felled forest ought to be done as carefully 
as possible, the topped branches being strewed evenly 
over the ground before the fire is set. It is preferable 
to allow the large tree trunks to rot on the ground, for 
in this way the soil becomes enriched gradually. 
The next thing is to line out the land, pickets being 
