22Q 



THE CULTIVATION OF COCOA IN MAYUMBB (BELGIAN 



CONGO). 



By J. CLAESSENS, 1 



Colonial Office, Brussels. 



[ABSTRACT.] 



Cocoa-growing is extending in Mayumbe. Actually there 

 is an area of 8,750 acres of cocoa trees, from one to fifteen 

 years old. In 1903 Mayumbe exported 89,565 kilogrammes of 

 cocoa beans. Now about 1,000 tons are exported. 



The country is characterized by a dry season of four to 

 five months' duration,. This defect is partly rectified by a 

 rather damp atmosphere. During the dry season fogs and 

 dew are abundant, and the sky is very often clouded. The 

 annual rainfall varies more or less between 1,1000 and i, 800 mm. 

 (44 in. to 72 in.). 



The variety of cocoa mostly cultivated in Mayumbe is the 

 Amelonado of San Thome. Until recently, shade was pro- 

 cured from trees which had belonged to the primitive forest. 

 Trials of cultivation without shade were unsuccessful. 



Among the enemies which sometimes occasion importanv 

 damage to the cocoa trees in Mayumbe are Salberghella sin- 

 gularis (cocoa-tree bug), and a fungus (f Diplodia cacaicola), 

 which attacks the trunk. 



The principal defects noticed in the cultivation of cocoa in 

 Mayumbe, and also the improvements that should be adopted, 

 may be stated briefly as follows : 



(1) The planters do not as a rule cultivate their soil 

 sufficiently to make it deep and pervious. 



(2) When clearing the land more care should be taken to 

 preserve a part of the forest on the top of the hills. In the 

 flat parts of the country with impervious sub-soil, the forest 

 should also be maintained along the banks of rivers subject 

 to overflow. It is very useful to keep some groves of trees to 

 act as wind breaks. 



(3) The soil is often left uncovered after clearing by fire 

 instead of being sown with rapidly growing plants, preferably 

 leguminous. Close plantation, to cover the soil as rapidly as 

 possible, is not common enough. The size of the planting 

 holes is often not sufficient in the heavy soil. 



1 This paper was read for the author by M. E. Leplae, Director- 

 General of Agriculture, Colonial Office, Belgium. 



