iS HOR'TUS JAMAICENSTS.- tH0reUT3- 



~tliey ineet wHh a roclvy bottom near the surface they seldom thrivP, Tier are long lived. 

 A rich glade of brick Tiioiild near water is perhaps the best situation cf a'ly. Before the- 

 plantatiion i.s begun, the grouiiJ should he well piejiared by digging- it deep, and clear- 

 rng it from roots of trees and noxious plants. Wjien the ground has been thus pre-.- 

 pared, the rows should be marked out with a line.*- Some of the .largest, finest cods, 

 i'nll ripe, are then to be selected; and, after beiiTg kept two or three day*- from the 

 time of their gathering, they are opened, the nuts taken out, and thrown in asmall. 

 vessel of water ; such as swim are to be rejected^ the:0j,hers are to J-.e washed cieaa 

 from the ])ulp, the outer skin iiken off, anj they are sulFcred to lie in shallow water, 

 till they appear Just ready to sprout,. A hole is^ then made about one foot diameter,. 

 and six inches deep, in the ground ptepared for their reception. A plantain leaf is 

 laid in the hole, so as to retaina length at one end of about eight inches above ground ; 

 the mould is lightly rubbed into the leafj till the hole is filled ; and the nnts are after- . 

 wards set triangularly in it, three in a hole, at two inches depth, care being used to 

 place them with their ends perpendicular ; they are to be co%ered with monlrl, loosely, 

 shaken over, artdthe extremity of the plantain leaf folded down, and kept in that po- 

 sitionj .with a small stone laid u]X)n it., In about eight or ten days time U:;e ])!ants will 

 appear above ihe. mould ; ihe plan. tain leaf is then raised, and some thntch tree, or other 

 strong leaves, are set round, to shade and protect the young plants from the sun. 

 Small bun lies, of about eighteen iaelfes, made in basket work, or reeds bundled toge- 

 ther. Would perbajjs be preferable, as they are fixed more firmly by their stalks in the 

 earth, so as not easjly to be throwivdown by the wind, and husk off the seed leaves of 

 the plants ; for these are only the tender divided lobes of the kernel, and the loss of 

 them would wb.oUy put gm end to their farther growth.. These screens are continued 

 about six.months, after which the Spaniards take a branch of coral bean tree*, and set 

 it s. S.w. (in Jamaica it shoidd be N. N. E.) at a small distance from the,plants, and in- 

 termixed between the rows. These slips vfill grow up with the cacao, and defend it 

 from blowing violent weather; The young plants are susceptible of injuries from 

 strong winds^a tooiiot sun, or great droughts, so that the^' cannot be too well secured 

 atrainst such accidents. For this reasoii, the most sheltered situation must be chosen- 

 for them. Th(? winds mpst to be fi:ared in Jamaica, are the N. R. s. e. and southerly. 

 Some defend the young plants, by planting plantain suckers about tv/o months, or cas- 

 Sada six weeks, before the seeds are set. They plant the nuts in the rainy season, or,: 

 at least, ia cloudy weather, or when rain is expected ; and, in case the weather proves 

 too dry and scorching after the cacao makes its appearance above ground, they contrive 

 to water it, by lading pieces of rag, cotton, or even v/eedsfv thoro-ughly wet, gently 

 round the stem, and let them rest there, till the earth has absorbed a considerable por- 

 tion of moisture ; a watering pot, with a rose head of very small holes, would no doubt 

 be less troublesome, and perform this operation much better ; but <he water used fop 

 the purpose shouldbe taken from a ri'v^er, and suffered to stand for some liours in a tub 

 or cistern previous to its being used. Plantain trees afford the most natural and agrce-i 

 able shade for these plants, while very j-oung ; but, as they rise, they should be fur- 

 nished with a more substantial defencs against the inclemencies of tlte weather, tiU 

 thev attain to full perfection ; and it ought even then to be removed with jirecaution* 

 If the walk is extensive, a few large tiuiber trees may be left on the outline or skirts^ 

 l^re and Vbere, to break the.force of tlie wind. Tiie Spaniards set orange-treesj but 



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