rantly and bears a greater quantity of fruit than the indigenous 

 species; it bears also much better the vicissitudes of the 

 seasons. Caracas-cacao long preserves its properties in fields 

 where it is planted alone: but planted between the indigenous, 

 it degenerates and assumes the properties of the common sort. 

 The first seeds of Caracas cacao were brought hither by the 

 Governor R. F. Van Raders in 1845 or 46, so not more 

 than 40 years ago. 



Shade. 



The cacao-tree will only grow in the shade of other and larger 

 trees. As now a cacao-field before planting is one nude area, it is 

 necessary at the first planting to provide for the shade at the 

 same time. For this purpose auxiliary shrubbery is used, i. e. 

 such trees or shrubs as grow very quickly but never reach 

 to any considerable height, such as cotton-trees, cassava, tayers. 

 Meanwhile the Bananas which are planted along with cacao-trees 

 grow up, to make way at last for the shade-tree proper, the 

 protector of the cacao. 



