s, but the result of my labours
are sufficiently accurate for my present purpose. I have analysed
the wood and fruit of trees from two different localities, as well
as the ashes of some plants sent me from the Rajawella estate near
Kandy, and they all tend to bear out the result of Mr. Herapath's
inquiries. Placing the substances traced in the coffee plant in the
order in which they occur in the greatest quantity, they will stand
thus:--

Lime, potash, magnesia, phosphoric acid, other acids.

Of these lime is by far the most prominent, forming about 60 per
cent. of the whole.

I cannot help, therefore, arriving at the conclusion that, to
cultivate coffee with any degree of success, the first-named
substance must be present in the soil; or, if not present, must be
supplied to it by some process.

Now it is a singular fact that the rocks and soils of Ceylon are
greatly deficient in alkaline matter; and, taking this view of the
case, one no longer wonders that many estates cease to produce
coffee. That all, or nearly all the plantations did, in their first
year or two of bearing, produce liberally in fruit, may readily be
accounted for by the fact that the alkaline poverty of the soil was
enriched by the burning of the vast quantities of timber which lay
felled on all sides. Whilst this temporary supply lasted, all was
well with the planter. Heavy rains, and frequent scrapings of the
land with the mamotie, or hoe, soon dissipated this scanty supply,
and short crops are now the consequence.

But nature, ever bountiful, ever ready to compensate for all
deficiencies, has provided to our hands a ready means of remedying
this evil of the soil, by scattering throughout most parts of the
interior supplies of dolomitic limestone. The dolomite of Ceylon is
not pure, far from it, being mixed freely with apatite or phosphate
of lime. Even in this very accidental circumstance the coffee
planter is aided; for the phosphoric acid thus combined with the
limestone is the very substance required in addition. Some of the
finest properties in the island are situated on a limestone bottom,
and these no doubt will continue to yield abundant crops for a very
long period.

It has been urged against this opinion that in some districts where
coffee planting has proved a complete failure, dol