122 COCOA 



CHAP. 



frequently thrive well and give good returns, but the 

 drawback to this system lies in the difficulty of cultivat- 

 ing the trees and also, though to a less extent, of 

 picking the crop. Cleaning the trees of dead or 

 dying branches, pruning, and removing parasites or 

 insects (as, for instance, grubs which bore into the 

 branches) are difficult operations when the trees are 

 planted very close together. Accordingly, in places 

 where a great deal of care has to be given to the trees, 

 there will be a tendency to plant them wide apart 

 (e.g. in Surinam), while in countries where cocoa grows 

 very easily and where very little care is necessary, it is 

 generally the custom to plant closely (e.g. in Ecuador) 

 and this without disadvantage. It is clear, therefore, 

 that general rules cannot be given, and that the right 

 distance must be found out by the planter himself, as 

 it will vary according to circumstances. The extremes 

 are 9 feet and 20 feet, 12 to 17 feet being the most 

 usual. 



The right distance depends also on the growth 

 of the trees and the dimensions they adopt, and is 

 therefore affected by all the conditions which influence 

 this growth. The most important of these conditions 

 are: (l) the climate; (2) the soil; (3) the variety 

 planted ; and (4) the shade given. 



As regards climate and soil, it may be said that 

 where the climate is very suitable and the soil very 

 fertile, the growth will be luxuriant and the distance 

 may be large ; but the author considers 20 feet 

 generally as the maximum. Wherever climate or soil 

 are deficient in one respect or other, closer planting 

 is advisable. As Wright very correctly says : " In 

 countries where cacao is grown at various alti- 

 tudes the trees at the higher elevation are rarely 

 so well developed as those in more suitable climes ; 

 similarly the growth on cabooky or gravelly soils is 

 less pronounced than on rich alluvial flats. It is 

 obvious that the trees, which either in virtue of the 

 climate or soil, cannot develop a vegetative system as 



