100 COCOA 



CHAP. 



Among the useful plants which can be used as 

 wind-breaks the rubber trees may be particularly 

 mentioned, though their wood is not very strong for 

 wet countries the Para rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) 

 and the Castilloa elastica ; and for dry countries, 

 Manihot Glaziovii and other rubber-producing species 

 of Manihot. It is questionable, however, whether 

 the latter can thrive in countries wet enough for 

 cocoa. 



Many of the trees just mentioned lose their lower 

 branches in a few years and develop long branchless 

 trunks. If planted in a few rows and not very closely, 

 such trees allow the wind to blow between their trunks, 

 and it is therefore advisable to plant before or behind 

 them a few rows of other trees which retain branches 

 at the base of the stem. Suitable trees for this purpose 

 are : the " rose-apple " (Eugenia Malaccensis], the 

 Liberian coffee (Cqffea liberica), the " morinda " 

 (Morinda citrifolia). The "rose-apple" is a particu- 

 larly useful wind-break. In many cases, however, 

 another plant will be more useful than any of the 

 trees mentioned viz. the bamboo. This plant would, 

 indeed, be the first to be recommended, if it had not 

 the drawback of extending its roots, thus taking pos- 

 session of a larger area of soil every year. In some 

 situations, however for instance, on dams which are 

 not planted with any other plant this drawback is 

 not great, and in such cases the bamboo is very 

 valuable indeed, though even then it must be kept in 

 check. 



Other trees which have been recommended by 

 different authors as wind-belt trees may be mentioned 

 here: 1 Albizzia Lebbek, Albizzia odoratissima, Ery- 

 thrina lithosperma, E. oralifolia, Artocarpus nobilis, 

 Cassia siamea, Filicium decipiens, Melia dubia, Mesua 

 ferrea, Pterocarpus indicus, P. marsupium, Valeria 

 acuminata, Acacia pycnantha, Gedrela serrata, C. 



1 See, for instance, Wright, Cocoa (1907), pp. 67-70, and Dybowski, Trait* 

 (1902), p. 88. 



