696 JAMAICA. 



iind they are fuffered to lie in fhallow water, till they appear juft ready 

 to Iprout, A hole is then made about one foot diameter, and fix inches 

 deep, in the ground prepared for their reception. A plantain leaf is 

 laid in the hole, fo as to retain a length at one end of about eight 

 inches above ground ; the mould is lightly rubbed into the leaf, till 

 tlie hole is filled ; and the nuts are afterwards fet triangularly in it, 

 three in a hole, at two inches depth, care being ufed to place them 

 with their ends perpendicular ; they are to be covered with mould, 

 loofely fhaken over, and the extremity of the plantain leaf folded 

 down, and kept in that polition, with a Imall fi;one laid upon it. In 

 about eight or ten days time the plants will appear above the mould ; 

 the plantain leaf is then raiied, and fome thatch tree, or other ftrong 

 leaves, ai'e fet round, to (hade and prote(St the young plants from the 

 fun. Small hurdles, of about eighteen inches, made in balket work, 

 or reeds bundled together, would perhaps be preferable, as they are 

 fixed more firmly by their flakes in the earth, lo as not eafily to be 

 thrown down by the wind, and brufh oft the feed leaves of the plants; 

 for thefe are only the tender divided lobes of the kernel, and the lols 

 of them w^ould wholly put an end to their further growth. Thefe 

 Ikreens are continued about fix months, after which, the Spaniards 

 take a branch of cora/ bean tree^ and fet it S. S. W. (in Jamaica it 

 (hould be N. N. E.) at a fmall diftance from the plants, and inter- 

 mixed between the rows. Thefe (lips will grow up with the cacao, 

 and defend it from blowing, violent weather. 



The young plants are fo fufceptible of injuries from ftrong winds, 

 a too hot fun, or great droughts, that they cannot be too well fecured 

 againft fuch accidents. For this reafon, the moft ftieltered fituation 

 muft be chofen for them. The winds moft to be feared in Jamaica 

 are the N. E. S. E. and Southerly. Some defend the young plants, 

 by planting plantain fuckers about two months, or caflada fix weeks, 

 before the feeds are fet. They plant the nuts in the rainy feafon, or, 

 at leaft, in cloudy weather, or when rain is expeded ; and, in cafe the 

 weather proves too dry and fcorching after the young cacao makes 

 its appearance above ground, they contrive to water it, by laying 

 pieces of rag, cotton, or even weeds, thoroughly wet, gently round 

 the ftem, and let them reft: there, till the earth has abforbed a con- 

 fiderablc portion of mo'iflurc ; a watering-pot, with a rofe liead of 



very 



