96 COCOA CHAP. 



forest, or land abandoned many years ago and covered 

 with secondary bush. The first work to be taken in 

 hand, therefore, is generally the clearing of the forest 

 or bush. The smaller trees and shrubs are cut down 

 first, and then the big trees. The wood is then arranged 

 into heaps or rows, so as to clear the space where the 

 plants are to be planted. 



Here the question arises whether the planter should 

 burn the wood or not. Burning has several practical 

 advantages. It clears the surface of the soil and kills 

 the weeds, as well as many other enemies. Moreover, it 

 is easier later on to weed burned land, while the heaps 

 or rows of unburned wood give rise to the growth of 

 troublesome weeds, and in many countries of vines, 

 which tend to entangle the young plants. Another 

 drawback of not burning lies in the fact that some trees 

 are very hardy, and when cut down and not burned 

 repeatedly produce roots and suckers. Finally, the 

 heaps of unburned wood being favourite shelters and 

 breeding places for all sorts of injurious insects, the 

 burning kills a lot of enemies of the young plants. 



On the other hand, however, burning has the dis- 

 advantage of destroying a good part of the humus 

 which is incorporated in the upper layer of the soil, 

 while the fertilising effect of the fallen trees and shrubs 

 is reduced ; the wood gradually rotting adds much more 

 to the fertility of the soil than when burned to ash, of 

 which, especially on hillsides, a great deal may be 

 washed away by rains or blown away by wind. It is a 

 curious fact that the bad effect of burning is especially 

 felt on soils which are very rich in humus, and are more 

 or less peaty. So much of the humus may be destroyed 

 in burning, and at the same time the soil may cake 

 together in such a way, that it is hardly possible to 

 grow any crop on it without the expenditure of much 

 labour and expense in bringing it back to proper 

 condition. 



Generally speaking, however, the planter will con- 

 sider it more practical or even essential to burn the 



