228 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



July 23, 1910. 



FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 



PACKING AND TRANSPORTING CACAO 



PODS. 



The following information as to the best methods 

 of packing and transporting cacao pods is taken from 

 the series of articles, entitled Cacao, by J. H Hart, 

 F.L.8., which is appearing in the West India 

 Committee Circular, the extract in this case being from 

 pages 247 and 248 of the issue dated May 24, 1910, of 

 that journal. Matter has been reproduced alread}', 

 from these articles, in the Agriciiltwral News, Vol. VIII, 

 pp. 260, 292 and 340; and Vol. IX, p. 148:— 



Cacao pods (each containing thirty to thii-tj-.five seeds) 

 can be forwarded long distances safely if sufficient care is used 

 io picking, curing, and packing. It i.s, however, not advisable 

 to send them on journeys longer than fourteen to sixteen 

 days; they have reached safely m journeys taking as much as 

 twenty to twenty-five days, but the risk of loss is too great. 

 It is of essential importance in forwarding pods that they 

 should not be damaged in the picking. Every one of them 

 should be hand-picked and not cut or bruised in any way, or 

 they will not go safely even with the best jiackage, as they 

 rot as quickly as an apple, when injured. The pods should 

 be cured or wilted for a day or two in dry air before 

 packing, and the packing should be carried out so as 

 to afford ventilation and prevent heating or fermentation. 

 This can best be done by packing them in shallow, 

 well ventilated cases, in what is known as ' wood 

 wool ', or fine wood shavings, not sufficient, in any case, 

 to gather heat and induce fermentation. Small quantities 

 of seeds can also be transmitted by parcel post, in 1 and 

 2-lb biscuit tins, the seeds being packed in sterilized 

 cocoa-nut refuse, but even these should not be sent except 

 during warmest weather. The best cases for sending pods are 

 s.hallow ones, 30 inches long, 1 foot deep and 18 inches 

 or 2 feet wide. The ventilation apertures should be pro- 

 tected to prevent entrance of mice and rats, as the pods 

 are tempting morsels for these rodents. 



It will be gathered from the foregoing that the transport 

 of cacao plants and seeds is not a specially difficult matter, if 

 the principles which conduce to safe trau.sport are fully known 

 and observed. The ordinary planter is, as a rule, too much 

 engaged in other duties and has too little transportation to 

 attend to, to wanant the expenditure of time in undertaking 



practical work of this kind, and it cannot be expected that he 

 will possess the experience which will ensure the regular success 

 obtained by those who have been carrying on such work for 

 a number of years. As a matter of fact, the transport of 

 plants is a business or specialty, and the owner, company, or 

 syndicate recjuiring seeds sent to long distances, cannot do 

 better than obtain expert assistance and advice, this being 

 clieapei- in the end, rather than placing their reliance upon 

 the best intentions of friends who are willing to assist them, 

 but whose experience is not such as to conduce to a success- 

 ful issue. 



CACAO CULTIVATION IN THE GERMAN 



COLONIES. 



The following is a translation of an article on the 

 cultivation of cacao in the German colonies, which 

 appears in L'Agronomique Tropical: ior April 1910:— 



The econoiuic development of the German colonies, dur- 

 ing the last few years has been rapidly extended, and is 

 characterized notably by progress in agricalture in general, 

 and especially in the. growing of cotton, sisal, rubber and 

 caca.b. A recent number of Gordian (No. 14, 1909), gives, 

 in this connexion, a review of the state of cacao cultivation 

 in the German colonies, in 1907-8. 



CAMiiRooNs. Here, cacao cultivation is chiefly in the 

 hands of European companies. ;Measures have been taken to 

 lessen the damage caused by a bark-boring beetle. The soil 

 of the infested plantations was manured with super[ihosphate, 

 and with chloride of potash, with the resulc that the yield 

 was increased largel}'. 



The first attempt at the cultivation of cacao by the 

 natives has not been successful, as the Cameroon negro 

 possesses a natural aversion for all innovations, and is not as 

 capable of agricultural work as other natives, such as those 

 of the Gold Coast, for example. The plantations have been 

 completely abandoned, and are overrun by weeds. Perhaps 

 a certain amount of improvement will be brought about, how- 

 ever, especially in the districts of Victoria and Bodiman, 

 owing to the efforts of officers who give instruction to the 

 natives, distribute seeds and young plants among them, and 

 show them how the work should be done. Special attention 

 has been given recently to teaching careful methods of pie- 

 paring cacao, so that a product of good quality shall always 



