6 FARMERS' BULLETIN. 



CLIMATE. 



It is customary, when writing of any crop culture, to give precedence 

 to site and soil, but in the case of cacao these considerations are of second- 

 ary importance, and while none of the minor operations of planting, prun- 

 ing, cultivation, and fertilizing may be overlooked, they are all outweighed 

 by the single essential climate. 



In general, a state of atmospheric saturation keeps pace with heavy 

 rainfall, and for that reason we may successfully look for the highest rela- 

 tive humidity upon the eastern shores of the Archipelago, where the rain- 

 fall is more uniformly distributed over the whole year, than upon the 

 west. 



There are places where the conditions are so peculiar as to challenge 

 especial inquiry. We find on the peninsula of Zamboanga a recorded an- 

 nual mean rainfall of only 888 mm., and yet cacao (unirrigated) exhibits 

 exceptional thrift and vigor. It is true that this rain is so evenly distrib- 

 uted throughout the year thft every drop becomes available, yet the total 

 rainfall is insufficient to account for the very evident and abundant atrno* - 

 pheric humidity indicated by the prosperous conditions of the cacao plan- 

 tations. The explanation of thif phenomenon, as made to me by the Rev. 

 Father Algue, of the Observatory of Manila, is to the effect that strong 

 equatorial ocean currents constantly prevail against southern Mindanao, 

 and that their influence extend north nearly to the tenth degree of lati- 

 tude. These currents, carrying their moisture-laden atmosphere, would 

 naturally affect the whole of this narrow neck of land and influence as 

 well some of the western coast of Mindanao, and probably place it upon 

 the same favored hygrometric plane as the eastern coast, where the rain- 

 fall in some localities amounts to 4 meters a year. 



While 2,000 mm. of mean annual rainfall equably distributed is ample 

 to achieve complete success, it seems almost impossible to injure cacao by 

 excessive piecipitation. It has been known to successfully tide over inun- 

 dation of the whole stem up to the first branches for a period covering 

 nearly a month. 



Irrigation must be resorted to in cases of deficient or unevenly distrib- 

 uted rainfall, and irrigation is always advantageous whenever there is 

 suspension of rain for a period of more than fifteen days. 



Concerning temperatures the best is that with an annual mean of 26 

 to 28, with 20 as the mean minimum where any measure of success may 

 be expected. A mean temperature of over 30 is prejudicial to cacao 

 growing. 



The last but not least important of the atmospheric phenomena for our 

 consideration are the winds. Cacao loves to "steam and swelter in its own 

 atmosphere" and high winds are inimical, and even refreshing breezes are 

 incompatible, with the greatest success. As there are but few large areas \ 

 in these Islands that are exempt from one or other of our prevailing " 

 winds, the remedies that suggest themselves are : The selection of small 



