THE CACAO BEAN. 77 



of the plantation. As the greatest percentage of organic 

 matter is almost invariably found in the uppermost 

 layers of a soil, unless this surface-soil is protected 

 the organic matter is liable to be washed away by 

 heavy rains. There is, however, less loss of organic 

 matter occurring on an estate where the soil is held to- 

 gether by a mass of fibrous roots e.g., where all the 

 vacant spaces between the trees are occupied by catch- 

 crops. Some planters affirm that the soil is best pro- 

 tected by allowing weeds to grow, and by cutting them 

 down at intervals. There is something to be said in 

 favour of this practice, especially on hilly lands, for the 

 surface-soil is prevented from being washed away by 

 the network of fibrous roots formed by grasses and 

 similar weeds. When they are cut down, the plant- 

 foods which they have extracted from the soil are in a 

 measure returned as soon as decomposition sets in. 



The best season to prune is when the sap is least 

 active, and this frequently coincides with the end of 

 the principal crop season. Most cacao trees carry more 

 or less fruit all through the year, but they produce more 

 towards the end of the rainy season. The removal of 

 large branches is very rarely necessary from cacao trees 

 which have been always properly pruned ; indeed, the 

 best pruned trees are those from which all undesirable 

 growths have been removed with a pocket pruning- 

 knife. 



In Trinidad, where cacao plants are planted about 12 

 feet apart, large forest trees used to be planted for shade 

 purposes usually the Bois Immortelle while in Samoa 

 trees are often left standing for this purpose at intervals 

 when the forest is being cleared. Rubber and bread 



