On the following day I called on Mr. Mann, son of one of the pioneer planters of 1855, and inspected an interesting coffee garden of four acres which is close to his bungalow in Mercara.  Some of the coffee trees were planted thirty and others forty years ago, and they have given for many years fifteen hundredweight an acre on the average, and though many of the trees were evidently suffering from the effects of overbearing, there seemed no reason why they should not continue to bear good crops for an indefinite period of time.  Estimating the value of the coffee at 80s. a hundredweight, the produce of an acre would be worth L60, of 100 acres L6,000, and allowing one-half for expenses—­a very liberal estimate—­there would be a clear income of L3,000 a year from 100 acres of such coffee.  As 100 acres of land so situated—­it was flat, lay in a hollow, and was well sheltered—­could not be obtained, it might seem that an account of this garden could be of no practical value.  But the garden in question raises one very important point in the mind, and that is whether it would not be better to abandon all inferior soils and situations on an estate, and concentrate all the labour and manurial resources on a more limited area, every operation on which could be carried out exactly at the right moment.  This is a highly important question which I state here for the consideration of planters.

After spending two pleasant days at the Retreat, I bade my kind host and hostess good-bye (I have thanked Mr. Meynell, who I may mention represents Messrs. Matheson’s large interests in Coorg, in the preface for the valuable information he subsequently sent me as regards planting in Coorg), and went on my way towards my home in Mysore, and stayed first at the Hallery estate, which is about six miles from Mercara, and is the property of my friend Mr. Mangles.  The approach to the bungalow through the coffee is very pretty; the building stands at the head of a slope, and commands a fine and extensive view of the country and the distant hills.  The amenities here had been well attended to:  below the front of the bungalow terraces edged with balustrades had been cut, and formed into flower gardens, and I was glad to see that, in parts of the plantation, from which good views could be had, there were seats.  I may observe here that there is a great want in plantations of seats, which are now the more needed as all logs in the old plantations have of course disappeared.  Near the bungalow is an excellent stable, well paved, and quite in English style.  On the following morning I wont with Mr. Sprott, who is in charge of Mr. Mangles’s estate, to visit his Santigherry property, some seven miles distant, and on the way there went on the left of the road through a plantation belonging to Messrs. Macpherson and Ainslie.  After this we re-entered the main road, passed the village of Santikoopa, and then entered and went round the estate we had come to visit.  On the way home we diverged to the left and went through Mr. Murray Ainslie’s estate, and round by an estate owned by Mr. Campbell, and finally arrived at Hallery at about half-past twelve.  In the afternoon I went round part of the estate, which I had already seen something of on the day of my arrival.