as immediately taken up. The
government of Java distributed plants to various places, including the
botanic garden of Amsterdam. The Portuguese introduced coffee into
Ceylon. From Amsterdam the Dutch sent the plant to Surinam in 1718, and
in the same year Jamaica received it through the governor Sir Nicholas
Lawes. Within a few years coffee reached the other West Indian islands,
and spread generally through the tropics of the New World, which now
produce by far the greater portion of the world's supply.

_Cultivation and Preparation for Market._--Coffee plants are grown from
seeds, which, as in the case of other crops, should be obtained from
selected trees of desirable characteristics. The seeds may be sown "at
stake," _i.e._ in the actual positions the mature plants are to occupy,
or raised in a nursery and afterwards transplanted. The choice of
methods is usually determined by various local considerations. Nurseries
are desirable where there is risk of drought killing seedlings in the
open. Whilst young the plants usually require to be shaded, and this may
be done by growing castor oil plants, cassava (_Manihot_), maize or
Indian corn, bananas, or various other useful crops between the coffee,
until the latter develop and occupy the ground. Sometimes, but by no
means always, permanent shading is afforded by special shade trees, such
as species of the coral tree (_Erythrina_) and other leguminous trees.
Opinions as to the necessity of shade trees varies in different
countries; _e.g._ in Brazil and at high elevations in Jamaica they are
not employed, whereas in Porto Rico many look on them as absolutely
essential. It is probable that in many cases where shade trees are of
advantage their beneficial action may be indirect, in affording
protection from wind, drought or soil erosion, and, when leguminous
plants are employed, in enriching the soil in nitrogen. The plants begin
to come into bearing in their second or third year, but on the average
the fifth is the first year of considerable yield. There may be two,
three, or even more "flushes" of blossom in one year, and flowers and
fruits in all stages may thus be seen on one plant. The fruits are fully
ripe about seven months after the flowers open; the ripe fruits are
fleshy, and of a deep red colour, whence the name of "cherry." When
mature the fruits are picked by hand, or allowed to fall of their own
accord or by shaking the plant. The subsequent preparation may be
a