Islands) : Mr. Chairman I should like to ask Professor 

 Carmody in relation to the very interesting results from 

 Trinidad, showing the natural yield of ten adjacent plots, 

 whether there is any record of the source of the seeds from 

 which the various plots, Nos. i to 10, were obtained. If it 

 is the case that there is an enormous difference of yield in 

 terms of pods per tree, amounting in the case of plot No. i 

 to 798, and in the case of No. 9 to 2,201, it would b<e in- 

 teresting to know whether it was a case of variation in the 

 seed. In the Leeward Islands, where we have had a set of 

 manurial experiments, we did not find when the experiments 

 were first commenced any great difference shown in that case, 

 so that in the instance given by Professor Carmody there is 

 rather a remarkable difference to account for. Another point 

 is this in relation to the return of yields from cocoa plants 

 in terms of pods or Ibs. of cocoa per tree, we find that the actual 

 number of trees per plot must vary to a considerable extent 

 on account of the actual fertility conditions of the plot itself 

 that is to say, a plant in thoroughly good heart will start in 

 full bearing even on a plot in which the fertility of the land 

 is not high. Also it will depend to a certain extent on the 

 actual physical type of soil. For that reason we have during 

 the past two years abandoned the idea of returning the results 

 in pods or Ibs. of cocoa per tree, and have made our returns in 

 Ibs. per acre, an attempt being made in each case to ascertain 

 the best number of trees which will fully cover the ground in 

 the cocoa plantations without overcrowding or leaving undue 

 gaps, and in that way we have arrived at a fairly satisfactory 

 way of returning results from our experiments. 



Monsieur E. BAILLAUD (Secretary, Colonial Institute, 

 Marseilles) : The difference of yield in different plots has been 

 mentioned. May I ask if any experiments have been made 

 with a view to correlating the yield with the physical condition 

 and chemical composition of the soil? 



Professor P. CARMODY : In answer to the last question I 

 would say this that the area does not exceed two acres 

 altogether in ten plots that is, 500 trees on about two acres 

 of ground, and that the mechanical analysis of the soil shows 

 that the plots are exactly alike, or as nearly alike as plots can 

 be. The field was chosen at the foot of a hill, and planters 

 whom we have taken to the plot have all agreed that the soil 

 is of uniform quality. Our chemical and mechanical analyses 

 both point to that. 



With regard to what Mr. Tempany said as to the seed that 

 was sown on these plots I need not remind him, as he comes 

 from the West Indies, of the conditions under which cocoa is 



