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Dr. H. A. A. NICHOLLS (Dominica) : Until the last quarter of 

 a century the exports of cocoa from Dominica were very small, as 

 it was produced only by peasant proprietors. When, how- 

 ever, the crisis overtook the sugar industry, many of the sugar 

 planters, feeling the effects of the hard times, planted up portions 

 of their estates in cocoa and limes, and so from that time the ex- 

 ports of cocoa began to increase. The Treasurer of the island has 

 very kindly furnished me with certain returns which include the 

 exports of cocoa for the last ten years, which are as follows : — 



EXPORTS OF COCOA FROM DOMINICA. 

 Year Export Year Export 



1899-1900 968,740 ft) 

 1900-1 992,586 " 



1901-2 1,052,693 " 



1902-3 1,309,577 " 



1903-4 1,285,245 "* 

 From this return I observe that in 1895-6 there were half a mil- 

 pounds of cocoa exported ; but when we come to 1902-3 it is found 

 that the exports had increased to one and a third million pounds. 

 Last year, that is, 1903-4, there was a decrease owing to the hurri- 

 cane, which although not directly striking Dominica, seriously af- 

 fected the crop. But notwithstanding this the exports of cocoa 

 reached one and a quarter million pounds. During the last few 

 years a good deal of attention has been directed to Dominica : a 

 new road, opening up the rich land of the interior, has been made 

 with money granted by the Imperial Parliament and it has appro- 

 priately been called the Imperial Road. We have young English- 

 men with moderate capital constantly coming out, and some of 

 them have gone into the interior, cut down forest, and created 

 estates, and in many instances they have planted cocoa. It must, 

 however, be borne in mind that the increase in exports to which I 

 have referred is not due to the new planters, but entirely to the 

 older planters, who, seeing that sugar had failed, set their energies 

 to work in another direction ; therefore, it is the industry and en- 

 terprise of the older planters — the men who have borne the heat 

 and burden of the hard times — that have brought about the dawn- 

 ing prosperity of Dominica. When, however, the new settlers' 

 estates begin to bear, then it will be found that Dominica will 

 make a sudden leap forward along the path of progress. Coming 

 to the cocoa tree itself, I should like to make a few observations 

 in regard to the facts brought before us by former speakers. 

 Taking the case of pruning, I would thoroughly commend the re- 

 marks made by Mr. Hart, just as I would deprecate those made 

 by Mr. Hudson. If you wish a cocoa tree to do well and to bear 

 well you must perform the operation of pruning with great care. I 

 think the Mycologist of the Department will tell you that if you cut 

 off the branches and limbs of trees and do not tar the wound, you 

 will probably get fungus diseases in the wood ; the Entomologist 



* Gale in August and par ial failure of crops. 



