148 COCOA 



CHAP. 



but rather light, foliage system. The trees are planted 

 at a distance of 40 to 45 feet apart. 



In Venezuela the same two species of Erythrina are 

 used, but the so-called " guamo " is also planted to a 

 great extent for shading both coffee and cocoa. The 

 " guamo " is a sort of Inga, probably Ing a laurina. 

 Here and there the " saman " (Piihecolobium saman) is 

 used. 



In Java and Ceylon, also, some species of Erythrina 

 are planted, especially Erythrina lithosperma, called in 

 Java " dadap serep," and considered there as the most 

 suitable tree for the purpose. In Java, however, disease 

 and insect pests have lately attacked this tree to such 

 a degree that in many cases other trees have been used, 

 principally Deguelia microphylla, also Caesalpinia 

 dasyrhachis, the " lamtoro " (Leucaena glauea), 

 Albizzia stipulata and Albizzia moluccana. The 

 Albizzias are also sometimes used in Ceylon, and 

 according to Wright several other trees viz. Erythrina 

 umbrosa, E. velutina, and E. lithosperma, and lately 

 the rubber trees Hevea brasiliensis and Castilloa 

 elastica. 



In some other countries the planting of shade trees, 

 all of the same kind and at regular distances, is not 

 generally practised, recourse being had to forest trees 

 left in clearing the land. These serve the purpose 

 either without or with the aid of planted trees. This 

 primitive method is followed in the old plantations of 

 Ecuador, in San Thome, the Gold Coast, the Belgian 

 Congo, and Central America (Nicaragua, San Salvador, 

 Guatemala). 



As previously stated, cocoa is grown without shade 

 in Grenada, Brazil, San Thome, and here and there 

 in other countries for instance, on one estate in 

 Surinam and on a few fields of certain estates in 

 Trinidad. These facts show that shade from shade 

 trees is not to be considered as absolutely necessary, 

 nor the cocoa as a plant which cannot stand direct 

 sunlight. This raises the question : What is the reason 



