THE CULTIVATION OF COCOA 131 



only be done when the weather has been dry for a few 

 days and the soil is not too wet. But even without 

 this rather expensive labour the application of a thin 

 layer of compost or manure, when the plants have made 

 their first growth, is useful on clay soils. It loosens 

 the surface of the soil, and keeps it loose even after 

 heavy rains. 



During persistent drought, especially in the very 

 first period after germination, watering may be necessary 

 to keep the plants alive ; but it must be left off as soon 

 as it is not absolutely necessary. Rain has a much 

 better influence on the growth of the plants than water 

 applied artificially. 



The methods which have to be followed when 

 insect pests or diseases have to be fought in the nursery 

 will be discussed more thoroughly in Chapter VIII. In 

 many cases, however, no special measures of this kind are 

 necessary, as the number of fungus diseases and insects 

 or other animals which attack young cocoa plants is 

 not great. Still it may happen that a fungus disease, 

 like the " witch-broom " disease (caused by a fungus, 

 Colletotrichum luxificum; see Chapter VIII. ), attacks 

 the plants in nurseries. If this is to be feared, it may 

 be advisable to spray the plants with Bordeaux mixture ; 

 and if the disease makes its appearance in spite of 

 spraying, to remove the diseased parts immediately. 



In Surinam the mole-cricket (Gryllotalpa didactyla) 

 called there " cotti-cotti " in negro-English, because it 

 cuts the little stems can be very troublesome in the 

 nursery. The number of plantlets killed by these insects 

 is sometimes very great and the damage very serious. 

 The best thing to do is to look for the nests, which can 

 often be traced at places where many plants have been 

 damaged. The nests must be carefully removed, so as not 

 to lose the eggs, and must be destroyed. It is also useful 

 to place flower-pots, closed underneath with a cork, in the 

 soil with the edge just under the gangways made by the 

 insects ; in this way a good number of insects may be 

 caught. The plants are liable to the attacks of this 



