vi THE CULTIVATION OF COCOA 129 



nurseries. Of course it must be fertile and friable, but 

 it is sometimes a question whether light or heavy soils 

 should be used. The latter are generally preferred, 

 owing to their capacity for adhering to the roots and 

 thus allowing the plants to be transplanted together 

 with a lump of soil. Still there is sometimes an 

 advantage in a light sandy soil, provided that it is 

 fertile. The transplanting from plants grown in such a 

 soil must be done in a different way. In transplanting 

 from a heavy soil the object must be to keep a good 

 lump of earth around the roots, but when transplanting 

 from a sandy soil the object is to keep the roots intact 

 with only very little earth adhering to them. Local con- 

 ditions help to settle the question, and the planter must 

 himself find, in this as well as in so many other matters, 

 which method gives the best results. 



The spot chosen for the nursery must be well drained 

 by making as many small drains as seems necessary ; 

 they will generally be required at a distance of, say, 

 30 feet apart, running out into a common main drain. 



A thorough cultivation either by hoe or by fork 

 must be given to the soil to a depth of 9 inches to 



1 foot ; and whether the soil is heavy or light, an 

 application of compost or farmyard manure will always 

 be beneficial. This should be done in the dry season. 

 When the soil is compact it will pay to go over the 

 place a second time before the rain comes, and to break 

 the lumps by means of the hoe. Narrow beds are made, 

 4 feet broad, and separated by gangways of lj or 



2 feet, to facilitate the work of weeding, watering and 

 removing the plants. 



As has already been pointed out, artificial shade is 

 preferable to shade trees, and the best way to obtain it 

 is to make a roofing of palm leaves, which can be made 

 denser or lighter at convenience. For this purpose strong 

 posts 8 or 10 feet long are cut and placed in the soil 

 at regular distances of some 8 feet. They are sunk 

 1 or 2 feet deep so as to make good supports 7 or 8 

 feet high. The posts must be forked at the upper end ; 



K 



