454: QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Duc., 1897. 
Coffee-growing in Queensland. 
By F. HEPBURN, 
An ex- West Indian Coffee Planter. 
Ix connection with the growth and cultivation of the coffee-tree in Australia, 
some experts and others have ventilated in the Press and by pamphlets their 
opinions, &c., which to a certain extent are conflicting and misleading as well 
as inapplicable if applied to Australia. The writer has given the subject 
special attention during the past few years, and having personally made recent 
tests and experiments, also following up the latest reports from the State 
nurseries, together with communications from various coffee-growers, it is 
established beyond question that the marked peculiarities or characteristics in 
the growth of the coffee-tree are so prominent that the experience of a coffee- 
planter obtained in the northern hemisphere would, if carried out in Australia, 
_ on several points be unsuccessful and probably injurious. 
At Kamerunga, trees in their fourth year gave a full crop. In other 
countries a full crop may be obtained in the sixth or seventh year, or about 
the time when the tree itself arrives at maturity. Here the tree is very far 
from maturity in its fourth year and second crop. Its prolific nature here is 
also shown in its bearing fruit on the primaries, as well as on the secondaries 
and tertiaries; the berries generally are in small clusters and pretty evenly 
distributed. The yield is also so much greater that the new-chum planter 
opens his eyes with astonishment—it is not in his experience. 
Tn the late International Exhibition there was a tree in its fourth year 
carrying its second crop, which, under normal circumstances, would have 
resulted in fully 3 1b. of parchment-cured coffee. This tree was nearly 5 feet 
in height, and the lower primaries extended laterally to about 8 feet from the 
stem, The difficulty with such heavy bearing trees is to give them some 
artificial support, and Mr. Buchanan’s recommendation to allow suckers to 
remain pro tem., so that the additional roots thrown from them will give the 
tree a better grip, and be more able to withstand high winds, is worthy of every 
consideration. Staking such trees in a proper manner, to enable them to 
withstand high winds and prevent serious injury through friction, would entail 
considerable expense and very much extra labour. It seems that planting 
about 1,000 trees to the acre is much in favour. Some growers are planting 
about half that number; but where suitable soil and well-cleared land are 
combined, to obtain the best returns with economical outlay, 800 to 1,000 trees 
per acre will likely prevail. The maximum number with low topping would 
have decided advantages in exposed or cold positions. 
A noticeable thing in connection with the bulk of Queensland-grown coffee 
is the smal} size of the beans when cured; it does not follow that the quality 
thereby suffers. As the trees age, it is likely the size will increase. ¢ Cairns 
produce is to the point. Coffee grown around Brisbane is of larger size, but, 
as would be expected, a better return is got from an equal weight of berries 
srown in the North than is to be obtained from a similar weight in’ the 
South. ‘Two separate experiments were made by the writer this season, and 
resulted as follows :— 
Ripe berries as picked from the trees 19% 02. measured 1% pints 
When pulped gave... ooo a 1, sal gy 625 of a pint 
When fully cured (dried) in the parchment 4°32 ,,__,, rs ‘475 of a pint 
When hulled and fully cleaned ... aps GHEE ay gp ¥) +230 of a pint 
The second test was with 2 lb. of berries i ; & pints 
When pulped gave om prs) My cep - ‘9 of a pint 
When parchment cured ... <0 an WB 4) iy i 675 of a pint 
When hulled and cleaned ah ae | ED - 375 of a pint 
