75 



liave attained tlie maxinmm of their production at the end of 10 to 12 

 years, after which they would go down very rapidly. In Trinidad, on 

 the contrary, the trees only attain at the end of 10 years that degree 

 of development whqjj. full production commences, and they remain 

 then for a great number of years at this maximum without manuring. 

 Yield. — The following figures are quoted as a maximum crop in 

 Orenada. The Rev. Mr. Branch, of Good Hope, obtains in his planta- 

 tion of 16 acres, the soil of which is of medium fertility, and the situa- 

 "tion is in a hilly district, 4 to 5 lbs of cocoa a tree per annum. The 

 distance of the trees is 9 to 12 feet and less, the manuring is constant, 

 pruning is not practised except to lop off the suckers. The manure 

 consists of dung, leaves, and all sorts of vegetable matter, and care i« 

 taken to bury the manure. Mr. St. Q-eorge of the Boulogne estate 

 obtains on the best part of it, a valley of more than 10 acres, 27 cwt. 

 per acre or more than 6 lbs of cocoa a tree. He prunes the trees with 

 much care and intelligence. The distance of the trees is greater than 

 at Good Hope. 



The following information relates to one of the best plantations in 

 Trinidad, namely, " La Tortuga" : — 



4,019 trees, 20 years of ao:e, planted 12 by 12 feet yielded 

 10,300 lbs of cocoa = 2.5 lbs a tree. 



1,250 trees, 17 years of age, planted 12 by 12 feet, yielded 



4,450 lbs of cocoa = 3.5 lbs a tree. 



2,382 trees, 10 years of age, planted 10 by 10 feet, yielded 



5,400 lbs of cocoa = 2,3 lbs a tree. 



1,080 trees, 25 years of age, planted 12 by 12 feet, yielded 



3,600 lbs of cocoa = 3.3 lbs a tree. 

 918 trees, 10 to 12 years of age, planted 12 by 12 feet, yielded 



3,150 lbs of cocoa = 3.4 lbs a tree. 



2,770 trees 20 years of age, planted 12 by 12 feet, yielded 



7,100 lbs of cocoa = 2.5 lbs a tree. 



4,416 trees, 6 years of age, planted 12 by 14 feet, yielded 



3,425 lbs of cocoa = 0.77 lbs a tree. 



The average yield of a cocoa tree in Trinidad, is estimated in good 



■plantations at 1 . 5 or 1 6 lb ; it is a little higher in Grenada. The price 



of cocoa from Trinidad is, on the contrary, a little higher than that of 



.cocoa from Grenada. The explanatioain Dr. t^reuss's opinion is to be 



found in the variety cultivated. In Grenada the variety " Amelonado" 



is principally planted, whilst in Trinidad "Forastero" is more grown. 



Pruning. Great care is taken both in Trinidad and Grenada to 



give the trees a good shape. An essential principle for this effect is 



to cultivate them to maintain a low trunk, and the head in the form 



of a crown, but so that one can always pass under the trees without 



difficulty and without being obliged to bend too much, and so that all 



the labour of cropping and cultivating can be easily carried, on. 



All lengthing of the trunk is prevented, as well as every attempt to 



iorm a second tier of branches. 



In Trinidad the young cocoa-trees are allowed to grow until they 

 fork naturally. This happens when the trunk has attained a height 

 of .2^ to 5 feet. The number of branches in the whorl is 4 or 5. These 

 are reduced to 3 or 4, and only rarely are 5 allowed to grow. In the 

 varieties which have'much wood developed and a thick mantle of leaves 



