In these cases the destruction is frequently to a large extent; great rocks are detached from the summits of the hills, and sweep off whole lines of trees in their descent.
Wherever landslips are frequent, they may be taken as an evidence of a poor, clay subsoil.

The rain soaks through the surface; and not being able to percolate through the clay with sufficient rapidity, it lodges between the two strata, loosening the upper surface, which slides from the greasy clay; launched, as it were, by its own gravity into the valley below.
This is the worst kind of soil for the coffee tree, whose long tap-root is ever seeking nourishment from beneath.

On this soil it is very common to see a young plantation giving great promise; but as the trees increase in growth the tap-root reaches the clay subsoil and the plantation immediately falls off.

The subsoil is of far more importance to the coffee-tree than the upper surface; the latter may be improved by manure, but if the former is bad there is no remedy.
The first thing to be considered being the soil, and the planter being satisfied with its quality, there is another item of equal importance to be taken into consideration when choosing a locality for a coffee estate.

This is an extent of grazing land sufficient for the support of the cattle required for producing manure.
In a country with so large a proportion of forest as Ceylon, this is not always practicable; in which case land should be cleared and grass planted, as it is now proved that without manure an estate will never pay the proprietor.
The locality being fixed upon, the clearing of the forest is commenced.
The felling is begun from the base of the hills, and the trees being cut about half through, are started in sections of about an acre at one fall.