THE CULTIVATION OF COCOA 137 



In such cases, in which a good character of a plant 

 is not always present in its seedlings, vegetative pro- 

 pagation is indicated i.e. grafting, budding, layering 

 (marcotting) or propagating by means of cuttings. 

 By these methods twigs of the mother tree are induced 

 to grow to new trees, which will show very little varia- 

 tion and be very much more like the mother tree than 

 her seedlings would be. 



This, ad vantage of multiplying by grafting or budding 

 viz. the obtaining of trees which have the same good 

 qualities as the mother plant is the principal, but 

 not the only one. It is also advantageous to have a 

 plantation consisting of trees which not only yield a 

 product of first quality but also among each other of 

 exactly the same quality. The fermenting and curing 

 is easy, for the whole lot of fruits gathered require the 

 same degree of treatment, and no uncertain results are 

 to be feared. 



(a) Grafting. A slow-growing, hard- wooded plant 

 like the cocoa plant always presents more difficulty to 

 grafting or budding than quick-growing trees with 

 " soft " wood. The methods of grafting which are usually 

 recommended, and which give the best results e.g. 

 splice -grafting or saddle -grafting cannot be followed 

 with such trees ; their growth is too slow and the stock 

 and graft do not grow properly together. With trees 

 like cocoa and mango the method of grafting by approach 

 has to be followed. The result, however, is always 

 more or less uncertain, and is never so satisfactory as 

 with the splice-grafting or saddle-grafting, which can be 

 adopted with quick-growing trees. 



In grafting by approach l the stocks must be grown 

 in pots, baskets or bamboo pots, and the scion is not 

 cut from the mother tree before grafting, but remains 

 attached to it. A slice is cut longitudinally from the 

 twig, and also from the stem of the stock-plant (Fig. 48). 

 They are then brought together, the stock being placed 



1 Jones, "Grafting of Cacao " (West Indian Bulletin, viii., 1907, p. 137, and 

 ix., 1908. See also Agriculture News (Barbados), vii. (1908), pp. 197 and 213. 



