152 



COCOA 



CHAP. 



humus, by means of the fallen leaves and flowers ; and 

 finally in loosening the soil by means of the widely 

 developed root-system. When cocoa is grown without 

 shade, the planter has therefore to shade the soil by 

 close planting of the cocoa trees, to add nitrogen and 

 humus to the soil by means of manuring with pen 

 manure, and to keep the soil porous and loose by means 

 of forking or hoeing. In these circumstances green- 



FIG. 55. Healthy cocoa under "kapok" (plantation "Getas," Java). 



manuring, or the growing of low leguminous shrubs or 

 other low shading plants, is also useful. 



Generally speaking, it is easier and cheaper to grow 

 cocoa under shade trees than without ; but it must not 

 be forgotten that when grown without shade, the tree 

 begins to bear at an earlier age, gives heavier crops, and 

 is less liable to different diseases ; its lifetime, however, 

 is shorter. In most cases, especially where labour is 

 expensive, the use of shade trees is advisable. 



It is rarely profitable to use economic trees for shade, 

 or to interplant trees which give some valuable product, 

 but there are cases where this has been made to pay. 



