_Columnaris_, a vigorous variety, sometimes reaching a height of 25 feet, having leaves rounded at the base and rather broad, but a shy bearer, recommended for dry climates. _Coffea Stenophylla_ _Coffea arabica_ has a formidable rival in the species _stenophylla_. The flavor of this variety is pronounced by some as surpassing that of _arabica_. The great disadvantage of this plant is the fact that it requires so long a time before a yield of any value can be secured. Although the time required for the maturing of the crop is so long, when once the plantation begins to yield, the crop is as large as that of _Coffea arabica_, and occasionally somewhat larger. The leaves are smaller than any of the species described, and the flowers bear their parts in numbers varying from six to nine. The tree is a native of Sierra Leone, where it grows wild. [Illustration: Copyright, 1909, by The Tea and Coffee Trade Journal NEAR VIEW OF COFFEE BERRIES OF COFFEA ARABICA] _Coffea Liberica_ The bean of _Coffea arabica_, although the principal bean used in commerce, is not the only one; and it may not be out of place here to describe briefly some of the other varieties that are produced commercially. _Coffea liberica_ is one of these plants. The quality of the beverage made from its berries is inferior to that of _Coffea arabica_, but the plant itself offers distinct advantages in its hardy growing qualities. This makes it attractive for hybridization. [Illustration: WILD "CAFFEIN-FREE" COFFEE TREE _Mantsaka_ or _Cafe Sauvage_--Madagascar] The _Coffea liberica_ tree is much larger and sturdier than the _Coffea arabica_, and in its native haunts it reaches a height of 30 feet. It will grow in a much more torrid climate and can stand exposure to strong sunlight. The leaves are about twice as long as those of _arabica_, being six to twelve inches in length, and are very thick, tough, and leathery. The apex of the leaf is acute. The flowers are larger than those of _arabica_, and are borne in dense clusters. At any time during the season, the same tree may bear flowers, white or pinkish, and fragrant, or even green, together with fruits, some green, some ripe and of a brilliant red. The corolla has been known to have seven segments, though as a rule it has five. The fruits are large, round, and dull red; the pulps are not juicy, and are somewhat bitter. Unlike _Coffea arabica_, the ripened drupes do not fall from the trees, and so the picking can be delayed at the planter's convenience. [Illustration: DIFFERENTIATING CHARACTERISTICS OF COFFEE BEANS, IN CROSS-SECTION Col. I. Mature bean. Col. II. Embryo. _A. Coffea arabica, R. Coffea robusta, L. Coffea liberica_] Among the allied Liberian species Dr. Cramer recognizes: