COFFEE PLANTATIONS IN CUBA.
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The following account of the Coffee plan
tatons in Cuba, forms part Of an article in
the Missionary Herald for September. 1t
was furnished for that work by gentleman
who spent some part of the last winter and
spring on that Island for the benefit of his
health.


1.-THE coffee tree has only sinsl stem,
which rises perpendicularly, and it is we'll
filed with branches from within foot of
the ground upwards. In order that the
fruit may be gathered with facility, the tree
is not suffered to grow more than five feet
and half high. Its general form is conical


A coffee-held is laid out with great atten-
ton to order and beauty. A piece of level
ground is chosen, which usually has red
soil, and is generally free from stones. a
square, or parallelogram is then marked
out containing from 100 to 500 acres, to be
enclosed in a hedge Of lime, pinion, or some
other suitable material. The lime hedge is
very beautiful, being from four to six feet
thick and having its top, by frequent trim
ming, perfect level. The pirion is not so
beautiful, but it takes less room, requires
less attention, makes good fence, and is
more durable.


Having defined the boundaries Of the es-
tate, the principal avenues through it are
HcXL tdill Dtl siiiA tbSJ oiS SSHSl eelI1 tNO,
three, or four rods wide, straight, and inter
secting each other at right angles In the
finished estates, these are usually ornament
ed and shaded on each side by rows of the
orange, citron, mango, almound evocado, and
palm trees. iSc. At the termination of ont
Of these, and situated perhaps on elevated
ground, is the house of the planter Small
er avenues are next made parallel with til,
others. All these avenues are preserved
free from weeds, and are kept smooth ant
neat.


Thus the whole ground is thrown into
squares, which are to be filed with coffee
plants. These having previously grown tc
the height of one or two feet, from seed,
sown under the shade of some grove, are
carefully transplanted, and are arranged il
rows parallel with the avenues, and nearl!
six feet apart. A square contains 10, 20, o
$4,000 trees. BY the third year from thi
time, they begin to remunerate the planter
and at the end of six or seven years, ma,
be regarded as mature. When tree dies,
new one takes its place; but the origina
plantation is expected to live fifteen years
Among the coffee, especially when it