16 FARMERS' BULLETIN. 



of the bark of the tree at all times in the sound condition, we are assured 

 that it is best qualified to resist invasion. Of the great number of worm- 

 riddled trees to be seen in the Archipelago, it is easy in every case to trace 

 the cause to the neglect and brutal treatment which left them in a condi- 

 tion to invite the attacks of disease of every kind. 



HARVEST. 



The ripening period of cacao generally occurs at two seasons of the 

 year, but in these islands the most abundant crop is obtained at about the 

 commencement of the dry season, and the fruits continue to ripen for 

 two months or longer. The time of its approaching maturity is easily 

 recognized by the tyro by the unmistakable aroma of chocolate that per- 

 vades the orchard at that period, and by some of the pods turning reddish 

 or yellow according to the variety. 



The pods are attached by a very short stalk to the trunk of the tree, and 

 those within reach of the hand are carefully cut with shears. Those 

 higher up are most safely removed with an extension American tree 

 pruner. A West Indian hook knife with a cutting edge above and below 

 and mounted on a bamboo pole, 'f kept with the edges very sharp, does 

 excellently well, but should only be intrusted to the most careful workmen. 

 There is hardly a conceivable contingency to warrant the climbing of a 

 cacao tree. If it should occur, the person climbing should go barefooted. 

 As soon as the fruit, or so much of it as is well ripened, has been gathered, 

 it is thrown into heaps and should be opened within twenty-four hours. 



The opening is done in a variety of ways, but the practice followed in 

 Surinam would be an excellent one here if experienced labor was not at 

 command. There, with a heavy knife or cutlass (bolo), they cut off the 

 base or stem end of the fruit and thereby expose the column to which the 

 seeds are attached, and then women and children, who free most of the 

 seeds, are able to draw out the entire seed mass intact. It is exceedingly 

 important that the seeds are not wounded, and for that reason it is inex- 

 pedient to intrust the more expeditious method of halving the fruit with 

 a sharp knife to any but experienced workmen. 



The process of curing that I have seen followed in these Islands is sim- 

 plicity itself. Two jars half filled with water are provided for the clean- 

 ers, and as the seeds are detached from the pulp they are sorted and 

 graded on the spot. Only those of large, uniform size, well formed and 

 thoroughly ripe, being thrown into one ; deformed, small, and imperfectly 

 matured seeds going to the other. In these jars the seeds are allowed to 

 stand in their own juice for a day, then they are taken out, washed in 

 fresh water, dried in the sun from two to four days, according to the 

 weather, and the process from the Filipino standpoint is complete. 



Much of the product thus obtained is singularly free from bitterness 

 and of such excellent quality as to be salable at unusually high prices, 



