Weeding.—By " weeding," is meant the eradication of every plant which is not being inten tionally cultivated. The operation is performed in different ways, according to the nature of the eoil. On light soils, and sloping situations, hand weeding is much the best. The labourer is provided with a pointed etick, to help in getting up obstinate roots, and carries at his waist a small bag, into which the weeds are at once thrust. They are turned out of the bags into pits dug at convenient intervals, or are heaped up in the roads, and are finally buried or burned, the latter being the surer way to destroy them. By weeding early, and repeating as often as neceseary, the ground may be kept clean by hand. When hand weeding will not suffice, recouree milk he had to " scraping " the ground, which is attended with a serious drawback, viz.:—that the first inch or more of the hest surface mould is removed at the same time, thus robbing the plante of food, and expoeing the earth to the full effects of wash. On stiff clay soils, on level plantations, and in damp, cool climates, on the other hand, hoeing is not only necessary for the perfect eradication of the weeds, but is of itself exceedingly heneficial to the soil, and, except during the dry season, should be regnlarly done whether weeds are preeent or not. When scraping or hoeing, it is imperative that the operation ehould be conducted from the outside towards the tree, so that the roots may be kept well covered, and the wash may easily escape into the gutters.
Truning.—The kind of pruning firet required by coffee bushes is that known as "topping." The age and height at which this operation is performed, depend in a great measure upon local circumetances ; the question is also a much debated one. The object of " topping," or removing the top of the bush, is to restrain ite upward growth within convenient limits, and, as a natural consequence, to strengthen and concentrate its lateral growth. According to Sabonadiere, topping is commenced, in Ceylon, at the age of 12-18 months, the maximum ordinasy height being 4 ft., sometimes reduced to 2 ft. He prefers to postpone the operation till the shrubs have borne the maiden crop, even though extra staking is required to withstand the wind. His plan is to remove the two primaries at the required height, by a sloping outward cut close to the stem, and then to remove the top by an oblique cut, eo that the sturnps reeemble a cross, and a firm natural knot remains to guard against the dem eplitting down. Hull (Ceylon) contends that the plants ehould be topped as soon as they have reached the required height, when the soft wood is easily severed by a pinch between the finger and thumb. In Natal, the ehrubs are topped either at their full height-4i-5 ft.—or at 3 ft., allowing a Bucker to grow up on the weather side to complete the height. The latter plan is preferred. There is much advantage gained in limiting the height to 5 ft., not only is the crop gathered more eaeily and without damage to the tree, but it is actually
heavier, and the shrubs are more readily made to cover the ground.
The first result of topping is to induce the growth of a number of ehoots, the removal of which is termed " handling " or " searching." The first to appear are vertical suckere or " gormandizers," from under the primary boughs ; these are immediately rubbed off without injuring the bark. From the primaries, spring secondary branchee, in pairs, and at very short' intervals. All such appearing within 6 in. of the main stem are removed at once, so that a passage of at least a foot is left in the centre of the tree, for the admission of air and sun. The object of pruning is to divert the energies of the tree from forming wood, and to concentrate them upon formiag fruit. The fruit of the coffee tree is bone by young wood; and, as the secondaries are reproduced when removed, they are cut off as soon as they have borne, and a conetant succession of young wood is thus secured. In order that this may be regular, and to avoid weakening the shrub, the secondaries that grow outside of the foot space are left on alternate sides of the primary, their oppoeites being removed each year in turn; thus one is growing while the other is bearing. The one point in view must be the equal development of the tree, and the yearly growth of as much as it will bear, but no more. Branches must not be allowed to grow into OT cross each other ; if two or more secondaries spring from one spot, the strongest only must be retained; where a gap occurs, tertiaries may be trained to fill it, in the same way. When practicable, the buehee ehould be handled twice before the crop ; and the pruning should be commenced immediately after the crop, and finished before the blossom comes out. Should that be impossible, it must be suspended during the 3 or 4 days of blossom time, and then be carried to completion. When it is evident that the crop on a tree will exhaust it if allowed to mature, a portion of it must be sacrificed by pruning. The loss thus occasioned is more apparent than real. In very prolific seasons, much fruit is wasted for lack of labour, and the trees are unnecessarily overtaxed, and bear poorly for some time afterwards. Everything should be done to ensure regular and even crops. The cuttings should be trenched in as manure. No branch should be allowed to bear more than two or three crops before removal. Regular and systematic pruning is one of the first essentials to successful coffee culture ; where plantations have been neglected on this score, they must be very gradually reduced to proper condition, by sawing out the cross branches, and opening up the centre of the trees, in the first year ; and thinning out about half the remaining wood, in the second year.