Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-02-05
HINTS ON COFFEE CULTURE

used for shade and would recommend
the family of leguminous species as it
is well known that this class of trees
are nitrogen gatherers and they would
supply the soil with valuable element
beneficial to the coffee tree.
Non-pruning: The greatest mis-
take that can be made in the cutiva-
tion of coffee is the pruning of your
trees and 1t is owing to this fact as
well as other conditions that the cof-
fee industry in Ceylon eventually be-
came exterminated. In no other Coun-
try has this practice been In vogue.
and, as the industry has thrived for
over one hundred years and more in
localities and is yet existent, We must
certainly look in that direction as a
model when engaged in this industry.
Continual and excessive pruning means
continual bleeding of the tree which
| saps its vitality and strength. The ar
gument that apple, pear. cherry and
| other fruit bearing trees are pruned,
does not hold weight, from the mere
| fact that before the winter approaches
and the leaves begin to fall, the sap of
/ all trees growing ina northern cline,
where winters prevail retires into the
roots and pruning in the fall Is no
/ detriment. In warm ATTITUDES where
coffee grows, the tree is constantly
sending sap through its veins and the
loss of its blood means weakened vital
ity. Consequently, leave pruning
alone. One only need to visit planta-
tions where pruning was considered of
first importance and see results that
have been obtained in comparison to
other coffee cultures where pruning has
not been practiced. The results have
been obvious and non-pruned trees
have lived and thrived where others
have died.
Cultivation of ground:-It would be
q difficult matter for one to lay down
certain rule for the cultivation of
coffee in all localities. as physical con-
ditions of the soil are so materially diff.
ferent and great many valuable
points can only be ascertained by eX-
perience in locations where one Is set
tied. However, few essential princi.
pies could here be given, as a guide.
In rocky soils such as A-a, Of which
there is a great deal in the Kona dis
trict of Hawaii, II is not essential that
one keep the ground too well weeded.
In fact. the clean wedding of such
character of land is very expensive and
detriment, for this reasOn-the
growth of weeds between the coffee
rows assists the soil from drying and
prevents the hot sun from baking the
roots, thus preventing the lateral Cof-
fee roots from drying out from eXCes.
sive heat. On this character of land,
1t is best simply to cut the weeds
down with a sickle and leave them lie
on the ground where they fall, form
ing mat or mulch, as II were. retard-
ing the growth of other weeds. pre-
venting the sun from baking upon
the rocks, assisting in retaining the
, moisture in the ground and, in rotting
adding valuable fertilizer for the cot
fee to feed upon.
In deep loan soils where rock is no;
/ prevalent, 1t is not advisable to let the
"ttuS get tOO much VI nOlu anu
cleaner cultivation is to be recommend
ed, for in this character of land, weeds
seem to interfere much more with the
lateral coffee roots than they do in
rocky soils, being able TO push their
way through the soil owing to its
loose character. In deep, loose soils,
the capillary attraction does not per
| init of evaporation OF moisture so
rapidly and clean wedding Is no detri-
ment, but rather an advantage Fer
! tllizing must be considered vital to
profitable production. and the results
obtained in all lines of agriculture in
this regard must also be applied to
coffee.
/ All conditions being favorable to
coffee culture. II seems as though il
were one of the easiest OF plants to
cultivate.
A. l.. LOUISSON.
O O O O O O O O O q