COCOA 49 



In these localities the climate as well as the positions 

 and soil obtainable are generally so well adapted for the 

 fruitful growth of cocoa that, even where the average 

 annual rainfall is as low as 41 inches (the average at 

 Aburi), plantations are proving successful, the regular dis- 

 tribution, humidity of the atmosphere,' and the natural 

 shade constituting a compensation for the shortage. 



The native planter sows the seeds in small patches or 

 in roughly prepared beds in the vicinity of water, often 

 in such proximity to one another as to choke a number 

 of the young plants. This form of nursery is met with 

 throughout the forests, and it is common to find circular 

 patches containing two or three hundred plants adjoining 

 a road. In addition to this, a large number of seedlings 

 are grown at, and distributed from, the Government 

 Botanic Gardens. Native plantations are for the most 

 part formed of irregular lines of trees, generally planted 

 too closely. The evil effect of this does not become 

 apparent until the trees attain a large size, when the 

 excessive shade they afford to their fruit-bearing branches, 

 which in cocoa consist of the trunk and main structure, 

 prevents the fruit from forming and induces rot through 

 want of evaporation of moisture. The native planter is 

 slow to recognise this, and disinclined to remedy thematter 

 by removing some of the trees. The distance at which 

 cocoa trees are planted by the native is roughly from 

 7 to 10 feet apart, whereas that recommended for planta- 

 tions in the West Indies and Ceylon varies, with the 

 quality of the soil and the elevation, from 12 to 15 feet ; 

 the latter would be more suitable for most of the Gold 

 Coast plantations. The advantage which the native 

 planter sees in his method of planting is, that in addition 

 to getting a larger number of trees into a given space, 

 the density of their foliage soon becomes so great that 

 weeds cease to grow beneath, rendering cultivation un- 

 necessary. Until such a state has been arrived at, the 

 cutting of weeds is an operation which may have to 

 be performed twice, or even three times, in the year. 

 This is the only form of cultivation given, no manure 

 being used or any breaking of the soil done. In the 

 West Indies it is not customary to disturb the surface 

 soil, except in so far as it may be necessary to apply 

 manure or remove catch crops ; but even in these cases 

 4 



