216 T BIN ID AD AND TOBAGO BULLETIN. [XIX. 4. 



The latter subject comes in for as great a share of attention from the 



Grenada planter as the former and as I hope to explain later when 



dealing with the questions of no shade and partial shade it is of the 



greatest necessity that a rigorous control over pests and diseases be 



exercised. 



PLANTING. 



"With very few exceptions, cacao in Grenada is much more closely 

 planted than in Trinidad. The actual distance varies owing to the 

 irregular manner in which planting operations were carried out, but an 

 average distance could probably be estimated at nine or ten feet. The 

 irregularity of planting is due to the fact that most of the estates were 

 originally planted on the metayer system, under which system I believe 

 the peasant was responsible for the planting as well as for the care of 

 the trees, until they were taken over by the estate proprietor. 



In Trinidad most of the cacao has been established under the contract 

 system, by which the peasant makes himself responsible only for the 

 care and not for the planting of the young trees. 



The irregularity of planting so common in Grenada is not only 

 detrimental to a proper well balanced development of the trees but is also 

 troublesome when lining out drains. 



TEMPORARY SHADE. 



Although cacao in Grenada is largely grown without permanent 

 shade, the young plots and bare patches in old plots are replanted in 

 much the same manner as practised in Trinidad. Bananas, plantains, 

 canes, tannias, etc., being used as temporary shade. 



PERMANENT SHADE. 



The question probably of most interest to the Trinidad planter is 

 that of permanent shade and it is on this point principally where the 

 Grenada methods of cultivation dift'er from those of Trinidad. 



Many of the cacao fields in Grenada are entirelj- without shade, 

 others have numbers of other trees, principally breadfruit and other fruit 

 trees scattered amongst them and in a few cases a systematic planting 

 of Immortelles has been practised. 



Before we go farther with this question I should say that the Grenada 

 planter fully recognises that when cacao is grown without shade it must 

 either be naturally protected from wind or else be supplied with good 

 wind breaks, that the soil must be frequently forked and manured and 

 the land thoroughly di-ained. If he neglects these essential conditions 

 in a no shade plot he is only courting failure. 



In a plot shaded by large trees, such trees besides various other 

 functions assist in carrying off the surplus water from the soil and thus 

 serve as a form of natural drainage. In places where there are no, or few 

 shade trees, a stricter attention has to be paid to drainage than in those 

 carrying a large number. 



Instances have occurred in Grenada where it has been thought 

 advisable to cut out large trees protecting the cacao, with the result that 

 the cacao suffered badly from exposure and the resultant maladies, and 

 in some cases efforts were afterwards made to re-establish shade trees. 



