CULTIVATION OP COCOA 47 



the Gold Coast. About the year 1879 a native trader, 

 named Tete Quasshi, brought some of the seed from 

 Fernando Po and made a small plantation at Mampong, 

 which is situated about ten miles north of Aburi in the 

 Volta River District. The trees grew well, and the first 

 crops of pods were said to have been disposed of to 

 other natives at 1 per pod. Following the example of 

 this trader, the Basel Mission Trading Association im- 

 ported more pods from Fernando Po, and for some time 

 they were able to dispose of them at a large profit. The 

 variety introduced was Forastero-Amelonado, and was 

 found to thrive extremely well under the local conditions 

 prevalent in the districts of the Volta River, Kwahu, and 

 Eastern Akim. 



The first shipment of cocoa from the Gold Coast was 

 made in 1891, when 80 Ibs., valued at 4, were exported. 

 From that time onward the annual exported quantity 

 has increased somewhat irregularly until the returns for 

 1919 show 176, 53 tons, worth more than 8,000,000. 



No estimate can be given of the area at present under 

 cocoa cultivation, for the reason that a large number of 

 the cultivators only possess a few trees standing near 

 their houses or scattered in their farms. Where planta- 

 tions exist they are usually small, and, owing to the 

 irregularity of the planting, no efficient idea of the possible 

 production could be obtained by measurement of the 

 planted area alone. 



Since the settlement of the Ashantis into more peaceful 

 modes of living, and the adoption by them of agricultural 

 work, cocoa planting has rapidly spread through Ashanti- 

 Akim, and new plantations may be found even westward 

 of Kumassi. From Axim also there is an extension of 

 cocoa-growing towards the north, and it has recently been 

 stated that the most promising land for the cultivation 

 of the tree is to be found to the west of the railway, 

 between Sekondi and Kumassi. The once proverbially 

 truculent and warlike Ashantis have recently, to a large 

 extent, become peaceful cocoa planters. Plantations are 

 also found under European control, often in combination 

 with rubber or kola ; but cocoa does not combine with 

 rubber as satisfactorily as coffee, which is more frequently 

 employed. Under " Rubber " some particulars of the 

 plantations, whose returns are available, are supplied. 



