194 



COCOA 



CHAP 



smith for the price of fivepence, the shaft being of 

 bamboo. In this way a very cheap and suitable hook 

 was obtained, but still it is preferable to have the hook 

 made of steel of superior quality in order that it may 

 keep longer sharp. Finally, Hart suggested the form/ 

 (Fig. 63). Of all these different kinds of cocoa hooks, 

 the two illustrated in Fig. 64 are, in the author's 

 opinion, the most to be recommended. 



The picking gang goes round as often as seems 

 necessary. "When the season is dry the fruit ripens 



b c c d f 



FIG. 63. Different forms of cocoa Looks. 



a. 'Two forms used in Ecuador (" podadera"). 



I. Form generally used (Trinidad, Venezuela, Surinam, etc.). 



c. Form used in Kamerun. 



/. Form recommended by Preuss. 



e. Form sometimes used in Java. 



/. Form recommended by Hart. 



slowly, and the time between two successive pickings is 

 longer than in the rainy season. They may follow each 

 other after three or four weeks, or even, when it seems 

 necessary, after a fortnight. 



Tn Trinidad the picked pods are gathered by women 

 and boys, who follow the pickers and collect the pods 

 into small heaps, which are sometimes collected again 

 into larger ones. The task of the pickers in this 

 country is therefore only to cut the fruit-stalk, the pods 

 falling to the ground. 



As a rule, the gang is divided into groups of four 



