^6 2 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



[MaV 2, 1887. 



interviewed Mr, D. Morris on the subject. This 

 geutlem<in showed me colored engravings of the plan t 

 and aUo a living plant, not very vigorou", in one of 

 the glass-houses. He grew the plant in Jamaica, and 

 knows of no reason why it should not thrive in the 

 low, hot, moist districts of your island. It is pro- 

 pagated by cuttings, which take root very rapidly. 

 He thinks it probable Dr. Trimen may have .some 

 in the Peradeniya Gardens, but supplies might be 

 obtained from Batavia through some commercial 

 atjfncy, or better still through the Director of your 

 Botanic Gardens, as the Dutch Gjvernment are jealous 

 of any rivalry in this direction, and might throw 

 obstacles in the way of private efforts. It would 

 really seem as though this industry is worth attention. 

 The outlay on an experiment need be only very 

 trifling. I was not able to ascertain data as to yield 

 or age for bearing. — London Cor. Local " Times." 



THE 



CULTIVATION OF COCOA IN 

 VENEZUELA. 



Report by Consul Bird, of La Guayra, Venezuela. — 

 TheoOroma, a Greek word signifying food of the go(U, 

 is the botanical name of the cocoa plant. As Strif- 

 fler has said—" The feculce and oleaginous matter 

 that are par excellence the alimentary substance dis- 

 pensed by the vegetable kingdom are often found 

 combined in the same vegetable, and nature, re- 

 sponsive to .the necefsities of our ephemeral existence 

 almost always adds to this combination some aroma, 

 thus blending the agreeable with the useful. This 

 triple combination is especially noted in the cocoa, 

 and for this, Linnaeus, in his enthusiasm, gave it the 

 name of Theobroma. Indeed, it only wants the pro- 

 perty of sweetness to give us an idea of the fabled 

 ambrosia that, with the delicious nectar, furnished 

 aliment for the mythological deities." This genus 

 comprises some sixteen species that pertain to the 

 warmest zone of America, and that it would be un- 

 necessary to enumerate. "\Ve will only consider the 

 two most important that are cultivated here, a know- 

 ledge of which will suffice for the cultivation of all. 



The red cocoa, commonly known as violet cocoa, is 

 a plant thirteen to sixteen feet high, with upright 

 and slender branches. The leaves are slightly pedi- 

 culate, eight to ten inches long, oblong or ovate- 

 oblong, alternate, perfect, smooth, and of the same 

 colour on both sides. The flowers are small reddish 

 or yellow, and numerous stigmas caulinareus, pendulous, 

 or axillary ; the fruit reddish, high-coloured or yellow- 

 ish, smooth, ribbed like the musk-melon, forward 

 somewhat like the cucumber, but pointed at the 

 extremity : beans larger than the almond. 



The green variety, commonly called white cocoa ; 

 is a plant six to ten feat high when cultivated ; but 

 in its wild state attains to a height of twenty-five 

 to thirty feet, with outspreading branches. The leaves 

 are very similar to those of the variety just des- 

 cribed. The flowers are also similar, though some- 

 what violet-coloured ; fruit of clear green colour very 

 wrinkled and resembling the fruit of the balsam-tree, 

 though, of course, much larger. The beans are smaller 

 and less nutritious than those of the former variety, 

 though equally esteemed. 



All authors agree that — (1) the cocoa is indigenous 

 to the soil of America ; (2) it flourishes in the s^hade 

 of the forests, and is developed with luxuriance at the 

 bases of mountains, where it is watered b^ running 

 streams or near river.s, where the soil is alluvial or 

 mixed with sand and clay ; (3) it requires a tem- 

 perature that does not fall below 75 deg. Fahr. It 

 may therefore be deduced that for its perfect de- 

 velopment cocoa requires shade, warmth, and moisture. 

 In low land, on the banks of streams — that is to 

 Siy, in alluvial soil — it can always be safely, if care- 

 lully, cultivated. Although in such cases it is liable 

 to inundation, yet all danger will be avoided if the 

 land is well drained and kept free from the drifts 

 and deposits of the waters. An excess of moisture 

 will rot tho roots and destroy the plants • and so, if 

 the land does not drain well, it is necessary t» open 



renches in the direction of the greatest declivity 



Cocoa needs the shade of trees to maintain a, 

 humid atmosphere and to preserve the moisture of 

 ih ! soil. In a hard or clay soil, not naturally moist, 

 it will be impossible to grow it unless so located 

 that, by means of small trenches, water may be 

 turned upon it every fifteen days during the summer 

 months. A virgin soil is con.sidered best, but fertile 

 fallow laud, suitable for corn or bananas, is adapted 

 to its cultivation. In the territory of Loba, province of 

 Mompos, Colombia, are to be seen some hundreds 

 of cocoa trees upon a hill, growing vigorously with- 

 out irrigation. This, however, is rare. It may be 

 laid down as a safe rule that where the palm and 

 banana grow naturally the soil is well adapted to 

 cocoa and coffee. 



The general rule is that all fruit posses.ses the 

 full germinative quality when well ripe ; but the cocoa 

 is an exception to this rule, since beans matured, 

 though not fully ripe, are considered best, and as in 

 this stage it is much easier to hull them, they are 

 preferred. Seed pods chosen for the purpose .should 

 b3 a brighter colour than the green pods, and on 

 thumping them with the finger wdl emit a sound 

 like that of a ripe water melon. The beans will be 

 found loose in the shell. The pods should be care- 

 fully opened with a knife and the beans emptied 

 into a tub of clear water, to remain for twenty-four 

 hours, in order that the cuticle around them may be 

 softened and easily pulled of. As they are divested 

 of this cuticle they should be thrown into another 

 tub of pure water, from which they should be planted 

 within six hours ; if allowed to remain longer they 

 turn red and are lost. The beans that, after being 

 peeled, swim on the surface of the water are worthless. 



The beans are planted in a nursery or the orchard 

 itself. A good nursery is, however, considered most 

 proper and reliable. It should be five feet ■wide and 

 as long as necessary. It should be well ploughed 

 or spaded, covered with a brush arbour to shade from 

 the sun, and laid off in cross-ridges eight inches apart. 

 The seed should be planted four inches apart on the 

 top of the ridge, and a little more than half under- 

 ground, and all covered with banana leaves. They 

 should be watered every morning and evening. Before 

 planting they have a whitish or violet colour. After 

 ten hours the leaves may be removed, when it will 

 be observed that the seeds are rising out of the 

 soil, urged thereto by the germinating roots. If they 

 assume a greenish colour it is an indication of per- 

 fect germination. The irrigation must be continued, 

 iu the absence of rain, for six months, when the 

 plants are ready to be set in the orchard. It is 

 found best to plant the nursery in this climate in 

 November, to transplant in April or May. At the 

 period of transplanting a raioy reason should be select- 

 ed, each plant taken up with the earth attached 

 and carefully set in its place. If properly done at 

 a propitious time, there is no danger of losing a single 

 plant. 



If the seed are to be planted in the orchard, three 

 should be placed in each spot in the manner before 

 described, and covei-ed for eight days to protect them 

 from the sun. When the plants are twenty inches 

 high, two plants may be drawn out and the most flourish- 

 ing one left. — Planter and Farmer. 



AGRICCLTURE ON THE CONTINENT OP 



EUROPE, 



[Special Letter.) 



Phosphorous orp'iosphoricacid, is.the most important 

 of foo 1 element of plants, and consequently an invalu- 

 able fertiliser of the soil. Now the greater part of 

 phosphoric acid, taken from the land by the crops, 

 is not returned thereto, and so is a dead loss for 

 agriculture. A little intelligent attention could readily 

 save a large portion of this great waste, estimated 

 at several thousand tons annually. 



A man weighing eleven stones, represents in his 

 organization i^S ounces of phosphoric acid. During a 

 twelvemonth, he requires for his life-wants about 2 ib. 

 of it to replace a similar amount equally eliminated. 



