Liberian Coffee.—

I quote the following from a report furnished to the Colonial Office by the President of Dominica:—

"The Liberian coffee plants are thriving in many parts of the island, but under the fostering care of the Hon. Dr. Imray, to whom the community is entirely indebted for the real establishment of the coffee tree in Dominica. Some of the early imported trees have borne fruit, and the Creole seeds have been sown and are coming up, and the plants showing every sign of vigour and health . . . . . The native coffee is still suffering from blight The Liberian coffee trees, although in close proximity to the native coffee, seem to bid defiance to the ravages of this scourge, while the luxuriance of its foliage causes a painful contrast."

Dr. Imray writes to me in May of last year:—"I have several hundred seedlings coming on, raised from the seeds of the plants sent by you. The trees have again flowered, and there is a large crop on them for next year. They still continue very healthy, and increase in size. I cordially join in your aspirations that the dire consequences of natural selection may be averted as regards the Cemiostoma. Hitherto all its efforts have failed, and as the operation of natural selection and the survival of the fittest is somewhat tardy, we may look forward to a period of at least two or three millions of years before the creature can possibly have 'acquired' an instrument strong enough to page 16 tap the flinty cuticle of a Liberian coffee leaf.

"Further observation has shown me that there is a considerable difference between the two species of coffee in regard to the ripening of the fruit, which may be of some importance if the cultivation extends in the island. In C. arabica when the berry is full it soon takes on a rather bright red colour, quickly softens, becomes detached from the tree, and falls to the ground. The outer coating of the pericarp is thin, and the surface smooth; within there is a loose sweetish tasted pulp, from which the seeds are separated without much difficulty. The pericarp of the seed of C. liberica is a hard fibrous covering, rather rough on the surface as compared with C. arabica, of a greenish-red colour, containing very little pulpy matter, and, so far as I have observed, never softening on the tree, or indeed after it is gathered, but in a very slight degree. The peduncle is short and very strong, and the fruit, instead of dropping when ripe, as in Coffea arabica, remains firmly fixed; in time it shrivels up, but still (so far as I have noticed) continues attached to the branch, becoming dark-coloured and very hard.

"From this difference in the ripening of the berries of Liberian coffee, I think I have been rather misled as to the length of time required for their full maturity. I believe I might have gathered all the berries on my trees six weeks or two months earlier. I waited week after week, watching when the softening process would commence. Having some misgivings, however, I gathered a few berries and planted the seeds. In six weeks (the usual time) they began to germinate and appeared above ground. I hesitated no longer, but at once collected all the seeds that were quite full and of a red colour. They never look so bright as the coffee of the country.

"In former times, when the cultivation of coffee in this island was general, the plantations that were short-handed often suffered considerable loss, for as the coffee ripened all at once, unless the berries were gathered immediately they dropped on the ground and rotted. With the Liberian coffee no such loss need be feared, for the berry remains so long on the tree that ample time would be allowed to gather in the crop with comparatively few hands."

Mr. Murton reports from Singapore:—"Two of the plants from the number sent here in August 1877 from Kew, when they were not two inches high, were setting fruit at the end of 1878. A few plants were sent to Sarawak, but I have heard nothing about them, except that they arrived in excellent condition. I find this species of coffee very easy of propagation by cuttings, but the plants appear to grow very slowly after being rooted, and this plan of raising a stock is not, in my opinion, to be recommended."

From Ceylon I have received a report of the first Liberian coffee estate opened at Kalutara. An average tree was found, in November of last year, to bear 1,500 berries, which was calculated to be at the rate of 150 bushels to the acre, equivalent to 8.3 cwt. of clean coffee. It is hoped that by its means vast tracts in Ceylon of abandoned or semi-abandoned low lying land will be redeemed for cultivation.

From Southern India the reports are not very favourable, and the climate is no doubt unsuitable. The Rev. G. Richter states, August 30, 1878:—"The various experiments page 17 with Liberian coffee do not appear to be encouraging. The most successful plants blossomed this season but scantily and have now some berries. Those lately received from Kew, and distributed in small pots by the Mysore Government, have not done well with me and several other planters. Though transplanted into bamboo baskets and kept in a conservatory, they remained sickly, contracted leaf-disease, and are not healthy, even after being put out into good rich soil in the open garden."

At my request Dr. Thwaites obligingly forwarded to the Maharajah of Johore 400 young plants of Liberian coffee, and he has also been so good as to send to Fiji a parcel of the seeds.