atemala the crops are
gathered from October through December; in Venezuela, from November
through March. In Mexico the coffee is harvested from November to
January; in Haiti the harvest extends from November to March; in Arabia,
from September to March; in Abyssinia, from September through November.
In Uganda, Africa, there are two main crops, one ripening in March and
the other in September, and picking is carried on during practically
every month except December and January. In India the fruit is ready for
harvesting from October to January.

[Illustration: TANDEM COFFEE PULPER OF ENGLISH MAKE

Being a combination of a Bon-Accord-Valencia pulper with a Bon-Accord
repassing machine]

_Picking_

The general practise throughout the world has been to hand-pick the
fruit; although in some countries the cherries are allowed to become
fully ripe on the trees, and to fall to the ground. The introduction of
the wet method of preparation, indeed, has made it largely unnecessary
to hand-pick crops; and the tendency seems to be away from this practise
on the larger plantations. If the berries are gathered promptly after
dropping, the beans are not injured, and the cost of harvesting is
reduced.

The picking season is a busy time on a large plantation. All hands join
in the work--men, women and children; for it must be rushed. Over-ripe
berries shrink and dry up. The pickers, with baskets slung over their
shoulders, walk between the rows, stripping the berries from the trees,
using ladders to reach the topmost branches, and sometimes even taking
immature fruit in their haste to expedite the work. About thirty pounds
is considered a fair day's work under good conditions. As the baskets
are filled, they are emptied at a "station" in that particular unit of
the plantation; or, in some cases, directly into wagons that keep pace
with the pickers. The coffee is freed as much as possible of sticks,
leaves, etc., and is then conveyed to the preparation grounds.

A space of several acres is needed for the various preparation processes
on the larger plantations; the plant including concrete-surfaced drying
grounds, large fermentation tanks, washing vats, mills, warehouses,
stables, and even machine shops. In Mexico this place is known as the
_beneficio_.

_Washed and Unwashed Coffee_

Where water is plenty, the ripe coffee cherries are fed by a stream of
water into a pulping machine which breaks the outer skins, permitting
th