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of cocoa cultivation, amounting to £000,01)0, ami in view of the great, 

 difference between the yield here and in Grenada where we do not 

 use shade, 1 think it would be advisable, for the Imperial Department 

 of Agriculture to carry out experiments in Trinidad with the view of 

 finding out whether they cannot grow cocoa here, as we do in Grenada 

 without shade. With regard to the question ol improving the health 

 of trees, we use sheep manure. We raise sheep not for mutton, 

 but for the manure which commands a very high price on the 

 local market. 



The President : There is one point of difference between the 

 cocoa trees in Grenada and those in Trinidad. The trees in Grenada 

 are much smaller and planted closer. The question is one of great 

 importance — not for the Department — but for the planters of Trinidad. 

 The Department will be happy to assist Trinidad in the same manner 

 and to the same extent as the other islands. The wide question 

 which Mr. Fawcett has brought up — whether as a general principle 

 shade trees are necessary in cocoa cultivation, can only be answered 

 by trying to find out whether in Jamaica they want shade trees at all, 

 or want shelter belts. It would be useless to follow blindly the 

 experience of Grenada and Trinidad, because the circumstances of 

 the two places are so different from those of Jamaica. In Jamaica 

 they are liable to hurricanes, whereas in Trinidad and Grenada they 

 are not. I believe in Dominica and the Northern Islands they grow 

 the Pois doux (Inga dulcis.) 



Dr. H. A. A. Nicholls : They use it for shelter belts, not as a 

 shade tree. 



The President : I should like to ask Mr. de Gannes what he 

 regards as an average yield either per tree or per thousand trees in 

 Trinidad ? 



Mr. J. G. de Gannes : Twelve bags, of 170 lbs. each, to each 

 thousand trees planted 12 feet apart. 



Mr. E. M. de Freitas : The average yield in Grenada is -I bags, 

 of 196 lb. each, per acre. 



The President : So far, we have had no experience as to the 

 relative values of Criollo and Forastero. 



Mr. J. G. de Gannes : Criollo was put aside altogether becausi- 

 the yield was poor : it is a delicate tree for Trinidad. I understand 

 that even in Venezuela there are certain parts of the country where 

 it does not thrive at all. 



The President : Would it be any advantage to graft the Criollo 

 on to the Forastero stock? 



Mr. J. G. de Gannes : It might be tested on a practical scale. 



Mr. J. H. Hart : Our experience with grafting is very small at 

 present. The Forastero is the strongest-growing cocoa, but the 

 Criollo produces a cocoa of the highest quality. The question of 

 shade, I think, might be usefully gone into. I have discussed it 

 many times, and have come to the conclusion that shade is absolutely 

 necessary for Trinidad. I am equally certain that shade is not 

 necessary for Grenada. I have heard the story of a Grenada planter 

 who came to Trinidad to teach the planters here how to grow cocoa 



