IRISH GARDENING 



165 



The fruits vary in size in different varieties 

 from 4 to 10 inches in length ; colour also is 

 varied. The shell of the fruit is hard and thick ; 

 it contains about 30 seeds of about the size of a 

 cob-nut on a central placenta, surrounded by a 

 sweet pulp. The seeds are the marketable Cocoa. 



In preparing the product the first operation 

 is 'picking the fruit. These are cut off with a 

 knife and are gatherred into heaps for shelling. 

 In shelling, the fruits are given a tap with a piece 

 of wood to fracture the hard shell ana the seeds 

 are all removed in a mass. 



The next process is that of fermentation or 

 sweating. This process is the most important 

 one in the prepa 

 ration of Cocoa. 

 Unlike coffee the 

 purpose is not 

 only to remove 

 the pulp of the 

 fruit, but to 

 change the char- 

 acter of the seed; 

 in fact to develop 

 that flavour and 

 aroma for which 

 cocoa is valued. 

 It is a process 

 which must be 

 learnt by experi- 

 ence and cannot 

 be easily descri- 

 bed. It consists 

 of sweating the 

 cocoa bypacking 

 it in bulk for the 

 required time, 

 with occasional 

 stirring should a 

 temperature o f 

 120° F. be ex 

 ceeded. The time 

 required f or 

 complete f e r - 

 mentation varies from 3 to 10 days with different 

 varieties. 



After fermentation is complete washing is 

 carried out This must be very thorough. 

 Drying is then commenced. This process must 

 be very gradual in the early stages, or loss of 

 colour in the bean results. The later stages of 

 drying can be carried on at a more rapid pace, 

 and artificial aid can be used. 



After drying the cocoa is graded into four sizes, 

 and is then shipped. 



Labour. 



I find most people in this country refer 

 to the labourer as the 2 )00r native, and 

 assume that his conditions of labour are very 



exacting, and not to be compared with the con- 

 ditions which labour has secured for itself in 

 this country. True, wages are very much less, but 

 not in proportion to needs . The ordinary labourer 

 can live on one-third of his wages , in fact on engag- 

 ing new men we are always willing to feed them 

 byagreement to a one-third deduction. The hours 

 of labour are very much less than in this country. 

 Most of our work is done as task work, and as 

 soon as a man has finished his task he is at 

 liberty to leave. In this way the best workers 

 get away at noon, and hardly a man will be found 

 on the plantation after 3 p.m. The men also have 

 learnt the possibilities of strikes, and " downing 



tools " until a 

 fanciedgi ievance 

 hasbeenadj listed 

 is by no means 

 an u nkno w n 

 occurrence. 



Coffee Trees in Flower, 5 y 

 Estate, 



Loganberry, 



TmsAmerican in 

 troduction is the 

 result of a cross 

 I »ft ween t heblack 

 b e r r y and the 

 raspberry. The 

 hybrid is to some 

 extent intermedi- 

 ate between these 

 t wo parents, and 

 is a heavy crop- 

 per. It resembles 

 the former i n 

 habit of growth, 

 the latter in shape 

 of fruit ; but it is 

 mu c h 1 ar ge r. 

 darker in colour, 

 very juicy and 

 acid, coming into 

 flower about the 

 end of May, and 

 ripening its fruit 

 in July. It forms 

 a most refreshing hot weather fruit and also makes 

 an excellent preserve. But even from a decorative 

 point of view it is not to be despised when seen, as 

 at Harristown, growing on a wall 14 feet high and 

 over 30 yards long, showing its large sprays 

 of white ' flowers well above the dark-green 

 foliage. When in fruit it is equally effective, 

 besides giving a profitable return t<> the owner. 

 As to aspect, it is not fastidious, growing well 

 facing either east, south, or west. After fruiting, 

 the old canes should be cut out and the young 

 ones tied in their places. It is easily increased 

 by layering the tips of the current year's growths, 

 or by layering a growth its full length and cutting 

 away a small piece under each joint before 

 pegging down, and lightly covering with sandy 

 soil. To obtain the best results it requires a 

 moderately rich, well-tilled soil, giving each 

 plant three to four feet apart.— W. Winstanley. 



ears old, on 

 Uganda. 



the Kivrvr 



