_ 218 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1898. 
Most important to bear in mind is that the youth of the colony could do 
the work. <A twelve-year-old would be equal to or even surpass an adult at 
picking—vide Mr. Bromley’s statement at Rockhampton Conference of 1898, 
18th May. 
It is not men’s work, strictly speaking ; therefore a day’s wage as above is 
more than could be expected by the picker, and would be too much for an 
estate to pay if the same rate of wage is expected to be obtained in the second 
and third pickings, when the daily averages are lessened. The following | 
scale might be adopted :— 
First picking, average 100 lb. daily; cost picking, 2d. for 5 1b., equals 8s. 4d. 
Second 3 5 80 ,, 5 5 eal. BY oy 1 8s. 4d. 
Third ” ? 65 ” ” ” ” 3d. » 5 ” ” 38. 3d. 
On the above basis the whole crop would average 4d. per lb. of cherry as 
the cost of picking.* On a large estate of from 50 to 100 acres (this may be 
considered a large plantation in Queensland) arrangements could be made to 
give a weekly wage with rations during the crop season, or payment by results, 
as might be found desirable, 
COFFEE IN BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA, 
(From British Central Africa Gazette.) 
Mr. D. Morris, the Assistant Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, in a 
recent letter, says :—‘‘ It is evident that planters must adopt some means for 
manuring their coffee-trees if they are to keep them in a suitable condition for 
yielding crops. Apparently the soil is not rich enough without some manurial 
treatment. Also, during the dry season, the roots of the trees should be 
covered with grass or trash, to keep them cool and moist.” 
Messrs. Gardiner and Co. have issued their circular in regard to the 1897 
crop and the prices obtained:—‘ We are sorry to have to report no marked 
increase in the 1897 crop over that of 1896. ‘The quality, taking the crop as a 
whole, was not so good as last year, and was distinctly inferior to that of 1895, 
There appears to us to be a large increase of defective and light berry. 
Heated reds and stinkers were again présent in some parcels, more especiall 
in those parcels showing light berry. Some parcels showed a considerable 
quantity of chipped and bruised berry. On this account we recommend most 
careful pulping. A few parcels were overdried, and consequently rather foxy ; 
on the other hand, some parcels were magnificent, and we are of opinion the 
finest ever put on the market.” 
Itis now more important than ever for planters to do everything in their 
power to turn out a good even coloury sample in order to maintain the position 
which we are happy to report the highest grade of Nyassaland coffee has 
established for itself amongst the high-grade coloury coffees sold on the London 
market. 
In our opinion, the greatest difficulties to be overcome by Nyassaland 
planters are in connection with defective and light berries which ate now so 
prevalent, and which, to a somewhat large extent, detract from the values 
obtained by the different planters in British Central Africa for their crop. 
We have great hopes that, with the introduction of shade which is now being 
so extensively planted, the above defects will be eradicated. 
* At the above rate, parchment coffee, when dried, costs under 2d. per lb. When milled— 
archment and silverskin removed—the cost is equal to 3d. per Ib. on the commercial coffee bean. 
Bee Queensland Agricultural Journal, December, 1897, page 454, for tests of loss in weight during 
the various stages of curing. 
