Java.—Java is the second largest coffee-producing country, nine-tenths of the culture being in the bands of the Government, and effected by forced labour. Around the estates a fence is planted, about 12 ft. from the outer row of the plants, generally of the jarale, or castor-oil plant (Palma Christi), intermixed with the dcidap, or the silk-cotton tree ; and, in low situations, outside of this a ditch is dug, to carry off the -water. These operations commence in August or September, and by the time the ground is in perfect readiness for planting, the heavy rains are nearly over. The plants are either raised from seed in nurseries, or the estates are supplied with " stumps " from wild or casual seedlings. Nursery plants are generally removed at six months, when they are about 12 in. high ; their after growth is so rapid, that in nine months they attain to 2-3 ft. in height, and at twenty months are 6-8 ft. high, and capable of bearing / lh. prepared coffee per tree. The trouble and expense of nurseries in so hot a climate are, however, very great, and the second plan is often adopted. In this case, the plants grow more slowly ; but they become rnore lasting and hardy trees. The planta tions are generally laid out in squares. The distance between the plants varies according to the fertility of the soil; in a soil not considered fertile, a distance of 6 ft. is preserved ; but in a rich soil, where the plant grows more luxuriantly, 8 ft. x 4 ft. is the scale hitherto commonly used. Now, these distances are deemed too small, and new estates are being laid out at 10 ft. x 9 ft., aud 9 ft. x 9 ft. At all altitudes below 2500 ft., shade seems necessary, especially during the early growth of the coffee-bushes. The tree almost universally employed for this purpose is the ddclap (Erythrina), of which several varieties are abundant throughout the island, the scrap, the ddri, and the wciru ; the first is preferred as affording the greatest shade. It is propagated by cuttings ; and in selecting them for the coffee plantations, care is had that they are taken from trees at least two or three years old, and that they are 3-4 ft. long, of which 1 ft. at least must be buried in the ground. After the dcidaps are planted, holes are dug, ft. deep, for the reception of the coffee plants. It is a common saying that where the dddap flourishes, there also will coffee grow ; but they axe not always constant or necessary companions, for many gardens in high lands contain few dcidaps. It is probable that in future these trees will be largely replaced by Acacia Julibrissin (Aibizzia Moluccana), which grows very fast, and is superior for several reasons. Indigo is frequently planted araong the young coffee, chiefly in order to keep down the weeds, but also to be used as rnanure. As the tree waxes, no attempt is made to train it, and it grows up with several stems as a native tree. It is pruned only when branches show signs of decay, or when the borer, which is very destructive, compels the planter to cut down the attacked sterns. The weeds are dug up with mammoties, to a depth of 6 in., and piled in rows between the shade trees parallel to the lines of coffee. These weeds, among which is the alang-alang, and other fodder grasses, furnish valuable cattle food. When an estate shows signs of decay, the coffee trees are all cut down, the &Map trees being either felled or ringed near the roots, so that they may decay gradually and fall piecemeal to the ground ; the process of replanting is then repeated in the same manner as before. Thus the laud may he replanted several times, and so rieh is it that the last garden will be better than the first. On the other hand, the climate is as a rule far too forcing for permanent culture. The average crop is very light ; and after 12-14 years, the yield is so small as not to repay the cost of harvesting. On estates below 1000 ft., the trees bear earlier and produce more, but do not last beyond ten years ; at altitudes of 3000-4000 ft., they may last 30-40 years. On many of the elevated plantations, the trees grow to a height of 30-40 ft., necessitating the use of ladders to gather the crop. Sueh trees are grown 25 ft. x by 25 ft. apart, on terraces 25 ft. wide, planted with grass at the edge, or all over, to prevent wash. These trees yield 6-7 lb. prepared coffee. The average.produce of the Government plantations is reckoned, by Jagor, at only lb. a tree ; that of the few private estates at 1 lb. a tree ; the difference is attributed to the ill effect of forced labour. The methods of cultivation adopted by the private planters vary considerably ; in some instances, the trees are topped at 4-5 ft., and pruning is attempted, but the results are not satisfactory. The condition of the Government culture has remained stationary during the last forty years. The season affords what are termed three erops ; the first is but small, the second is most abundant, and the third is rather a gleaning. Owing to the scarcity of water, the labourers convey the eherry coffee to their own homes, whero they pulp aud wash it with wooden pestles.
Attached to every principal village, near which there are coffee plantations of any extent, there is a drying-honse, to which the pulped coffee is brought ; it ie there placed on hurdlea, about 4 ft. from the floor, under which a slow wood fire is kept up during the night. The roof of the drying
house is opened at morning and evening to admit the air, and the berries are frequently stirred to prevent fermentation. As the direct heat of the sun is c,onsidered prejudicial, the roof of the house is closed during the day. This operation ia repeated till the parchment is quite dry. The berries dried in this way aro email, of a sea-green or greyish colour, and are suppobed to acquire a peculiar flavour frona the smoke, although it does not appear that any particular kind of wood is used for fuel. When dried in the sun, the bean becomes of a pale bleached colour, ia larger, specifically lighter, and more insipid to the taste than the former. According to Jagor, a period of five to aix weeks la required. The moat common mode of freeing the bean from the parchment is to pound the berries, when dry, in a bag of buffalo hide, great care being taken not to bruise the beans. A mill of aimple construction is sometimes used, but is not found to answer so well. The coffee beans Etre then put into baga or baskete, kept on raiaed platforma till the season of delivery, when they are carried down to the store-honse, sometimes by men, but generally on the backs of buffaloes and mares, in atringa of 1500-2000 at a time. In form instancee, however, improved machinery haa been erected for pulping and curing the coffee on the Weat Indian plan. The crop of 1878 waa estimated to be 20 per cent. below the average, chiefly owing to the drought of 1877. The finer descriptiona of Samarang (West Indian preparation), Buitenzorg (ordinary preparation), Government Preanger, and Government Padang, commanded high figurea ; nearly the whole of the two latter branda was bought up for the United States at very advanced figures. Further large impor tations of Liberian coffee seeds and planta took place during the year ; but from the ahort period of its trial, no reliable opinion can yet be formed as to ita auitability. These importationa were effected from or through Engliah houses, Ceylon growths being prohibited on account of the leaf disease. The exports of Java coffee, from 1st July, 1877, to 30th June, 1878, stated in piculs of 122 lb., were, to Holland, 1,096,372 ; France, 14,767 ; Port Said, for orders, 6943 ; Italy, 5775 ; Singapore, 5079 ; America, 3993 ; Auatralia. 1107 ; Channel, for orders, 102.
Liberia.—The Guinea Coast of Africa, and inore eapecially the republic of Liberia, is remarkable among coffee producing countriea, as the horne of a peculiar species of coffee, formerly known aa C. microcarpa, but now finally deaignated C. Liberica. It is distinguished from C. Arabica by much more robust habit ; it attains a greater height, and both leavea and fruit are larger and less delicate ; it alao prefera low elevatione. In its native country, this species grows Eita well near the sea (100 yds., or leas distant), as thirty miles inland, and the wild plant is found even yet further towards the interior. The general temperature of the coaat districts ranges between 22° and 31° (72° and 88° F.) in the shade, the maximum being 33° (91° F.) and the minimum 17° (62° F.); away from the sea, tbe tempemturea decline 1°-2° F., principally owing to the rise of the land. The limita of elevation are from aea-level on the coast to 550 ft. inland. It is as much at home on flat land aa on hill slopes, provided always that the land is drained.
Though the cultivation of thia plant in its native soil was atarted by the late Preaident Roberts, and is extending every year, attention has principally beeu paid to its acclimatiza tion in other countries. In Ceylon and Southern India, some hundreds of acres are already planted with it, and the movement is still extending. A point greatly in favour of the plant is the low altitude at which it flourishea, thus permitting the utilization of land otherwise unproductive. At the elevationa where C. Arabica is beat cultivated, this species refuses to grow, and perhaps the highest successful plantation is at about 1500 ft., at which height it was found beneficial to leave some of the forest treea as ahade ; probably the planting of coco-nut treea would be better. The young plants require cEtreful protection from wind and extreme beat ; but aoon become hardy. The aize of the trees fa such that an acre will not conveniently contain more than 450. At a greater elevation than 800 ft., difficulty ia experienced in ripening the fruit. Planters are aanguine that a hybrid between the Arabian and Liberian apeciee would flourish in the zone of 1000-3000 ft. The hope that the new apecies would be proof againat leaf diseaae has been somewhat disappointed ; neverthelesa, the trees are very much leas affected than the common ahrub. The treea appear also to demand less rain and to withstand greater heat. On the acore of longevity, there appears to be little difference between the two kinds. They mature early, and bare heavily ; one eatate in Ceylon had trees yielding a ton an acre at 4 years old ; and 7 cwt. an acre is said to be an average crop. The idea, of its entirely replacing the longer known variety ia fanciful, yet by cultivation and preparation much may be done to improve the inferior flavour and coarseneas of the berry, which now prevent its being used alone.