Handling and Pruning of the Cacoa-Tree* 



As soon as the Cacao-tree can be regarded as safe, the handling 

 is commenced with. This handling must be so managed as to 

 cut away the many branches and to leave only 3 or 4 healthy 

 main branches on the stem to constitute the future tree. 



In this manner the ground is covered as far as possible, with- 

 out the trees injuring each other or preventing the free ad- 

 mission of light and air. One peculiarity of the cacoa-tree is 

 that it shoots a multitude of branches, and this is detrimental 

 to its fruit-bearing powers. Therefore a good tree must not be 

 too thickly branched or leaved. These two drawbacks combine 

 to exclude light and air, so indispensable for the life of the 

 tree. A cacao-tree trimmed on one stem, lives longest, grows 

 best and bears most fruit. The leaves, which along with the 

 roots, must nourish the plant, may in most cases be so rich 

 and close, that they rather injure the tree, by impeding the free 

 play of light and air through the branches. 



It is, therefore, of the greatest importance to prune the tree 

 properly. The first three or four straight upshooting branches 

 are the most fertile, and once reduced to that number, care 

 must be taken to keep it so. 



