THE CULTIVATION OF COCOA 187 



which one sucker is allowed to grow to form a new 

 tree. 



While the Java and the Ecuador systems leave water- 

 shoots which ought to be removed, there are other 

 systems, equally bad, in which branches and twigs are 

 removed which ought to be left on the tree. A 

 common system, which is to be found here and there 

 in almost every cocoa-growing country, is the system 

 of "trimming up." When the cocoa tree has made its 

 principal ramification, the main branches throw out 

 side branches, some of which grow in a downward 

 direction towards the soil. Though these are neither 

 harmful nor useless, they have to be removed in order 

 to allow a free passage under the tree ; all sorts of 

 manipulations (picking, pruning, cleaning of the trees, 

 etc.) would be very difficult if these branches were left. 

 But many cocoa growers, especially small proprietors, 

 have a tendency to go much too far in this direction. 

 When all the branches which were hanging to the 

 ground have been removed, they still go on removing 

 side branches, leaving the main branches standing in 

 the air like sticks and bearing side branches only at the 

 top. Sometimes even the tops of main branches are cut 

 away in order to make the branch system grow more in 

 an upward direction. In this way are obtained trees 

 in which all the lower part of the branch and foliage 

 system is awanting. This offers not a single advantage 

 and several disadvantages, especially a reduction of the 

 crop, difficulty in picking, cleaning, pruning, etc. 



As regards the removal of weak and diseased twigs, 

 few planters will consider this useless, but, on the other 

 hand, many are not convinced that it is really very 

 necessary. In so many plantations the trees are loaded 

 with a lot of poor, almost useless twigs, the leaves of 

 which are of very little value to the tree and simply 

 take space and food which might be better used by 

 healthier twigs. 



Regular treatment is accordingly necessary, once a 

 year or if possible twice a year, always in the dry season 



