The following estimates (in rupees) for coffee cultivation in Southern India are based on the purchase of 300 A. of forest lands at 50 R., and 200 A. grass land at 25 R., bringing 200 A. of the former into full bearing ; labour, 4 annas a day, exclusive of maistries' wages :— First year :—Land, 20,000 ; tools, 350 ; felling and clearing, 50 A. at 20 R., 1000 ; coolie lines and bungalows, 1203 ; nursery containing say 1 lac of plants, for 2nd year's extension, 250 ; roads, to the estate and on the clearing, 230 ; lining out 50 A. at 3 R., 150 ; pitting, 50 A. at 5 ft. x 6 ft., say 1452 pits per acre at 4 as. for 20, 907; filling in pits, 151 ; plants, 75,000 at 7/ R. per 1000/ 562 ; planting 50 A., 90 ; cleaning and weeding, till 30th Sept., 50 A. at 6R., 300 ; superintendent, 1320 ; writer, 360; maistries, 10 per cent. on coolie labour, 417 ; contingencies, 500 ; = total, 27,790 R.
Second year (cultivation, 50 A., extension, 50 A.):—weeding, 900; filling up vacancies, 69 ; repairing buildings, 150 ; roads and trenching, 100 ; re-planting nursery, 133 ; additional lines, 350 ; tools, 250 ; felling, clearing, lining, pitting, filling, planting, cleaning up and weeding 50 A. at last year's rate, 2599 ; roads and trenching, 120; superintendent, 1800 ; horse, 400 ; writer, 420 ; maistries, 408 ; contingencies, 500 ; = total, 8199 R.
Third year (cultivation, 100 A., extension, 50 A.):—iieeding, 1800 ; filling up vacancies, 10 per cent. on 50 A., 69 ; and 5 per cent. on 50 A., 34 ; repairing buildings, 225 ; trenching and repairing roads, 150 ; re-planting nursery, &c., 166; topping and handling 50 A., 125 ; additional coolie lines, tools, and roads, as before, 720 ; &c., &o., 50 A., as before, 2599 ; pulping-house, store, and pulpers, 4000 ; gathering 1250 bushels cherry (say 125 cwt.), at 4 as., 312 ; curing at 8 as., per cwt., 62 ; despatching to coast, at 10 as. per bushel parchment, 390 ; superintendent, 2620 ; writer, 480 ; maistries, 559 ; contingencies, 500; = total 14,811 R.
Fourth year (cultivation, 150 A., extension, 50 A.):—wecding, 2700 ; filling up vacancies, 139 ; repairing buildings, 400 ; roads and tTenching, 250 ; nursery, 100 ; topping, handling, and pruning, 425 ; additional coolie lines, tools, and roads, as before, 720 ; felling, &c., &c., 50 A., as before, 2599 ; completing store and pulping-house, 2000 ; gathering 4250 bushels cherry (say 425 cwt.), 1062 ; curing, 212 ; despatching to coast, 1328 ; superintendent, 3120 ; writer, 540 ; maistries, 789 ; cattle-shed, 1000 ; cattle (75 bead), at 30 R., 2250 ; keepers, &c. (6 men), 432 ; con tingencies, 500 ; total, 20,566 R.
Fifth year (cultivation, 200 A.) :--weeding, 3600 ; filling up vacancies, 173 ; repairing buildings, 500; roads aud trenching, 400 ; nursery, 100 ; topping, handling, and pruning, 850; manuring 50 A. at 40 R., 2000 ; gathering 7250 bushels cherry (725 cwt.), 1812 ; curing, 362; despatching t,o
coast, 2265 ; permanent bungalow, &c., 5000; cattle (25 head), 750 ; keepers (6 men), 432; superin tendent, 3620 ; writer, 600 ; maistries, 981 ; contingencies, 500 ; = total, 23,945 R.
Sixth yean—weeding, 3600 ; filling up vacancies, 175 ; buildings, 500 ; roads and trenching, 500 ; nursery, 100 ; pruning and handling, 2000 ; manuring, 2500; gathering 10,250 bushels, 2563; curing and despatching, 3715 ; stock, 1200; superintendent and writer, 4220 ; maistries, 1000 ; contingencies, 500 ; = total, 22,573 R.
Seventh year i—cultivation, 9375 ; gathering, 12,000 bushels cherry (1200 cwt.), full crop, 3000; curing and despatching, 4350 ; stock, 1200 ; managenaent, 5220 ; contingencies, 500 ; = total, 23,645 R.
Among other Indian districts where coffee cultivation has been tried, it is reported from Chitta gong that it yields 9, and even 12 cwt. an acre, and that thousands of acres of excellent land can be got near navigable rivers, and where manure and labour are abundant. The joint culture of coffee and tea is strongly recommended in this district, labour being available for each in its season. It has been tried, but with little success, in the neighbourhood of DarPeling. It seems very doubtful whether oe,casional cold will not always be a bar to the general spread of coffee in N.
The quantities and values of the coffee exports from British India (excluding Ceylon), for the last five years of which statistics have been issued, were respectively :-1874, 40,815,040 lb.; value, 1,487,411/. ; 1875, 34,925,072 lb.; value, 1,305,335/. ; 1876, 41,662,432 lb.; value, 1,627,027/.; 1877, 33,874,768 lb.; value, 1,345,882/. ; 1878, 33,300,624 lb.; value, 1,338,499/.
The drought of 1877-8 affected the coffee plantations, and would of itself sufficiently account for diminished exports, if the leaf disease and the borer did not help to keep down the yield. The average value per cwt. was a little higher than in 1876-77, having been just over 45 rupees as compared with 44.4. The United Kingdom and France are the two largest consumers of Indian c,offee, although in both countries it is subject to excessively heavy duties. The Austra lian eolonies consume large quantities of tea and coffee ; but they take neither the one nor the other from India. Producers in India have hitherto found a ready market in Europe for their whole pro duction, and have had no inducement to essay the opening of a trade with Australia. Nevertheless the trade would certainly become a source of considerable profit to India, and it would be well worth while to direct attention to the matter. The exhibitions at Sydney and Melbourne offer excellent opportunities for introducing these staples to the notice of the colonists.