CH. ix COCOA-GROWING COUNTRIES 293 



Naranjal and the Eio Balao, all near the coast. The 

 principal commercial centre is the village of Balao, 

 which has given its name to the product. 



Farther south is the province of El Oro, where cocoa 

 is also cultivated near the sea, along the Rio Jubones 

 and south from this river. 



The province of Manabi is situated in the north of 

 Ecuador, and here cocoa is cultivated along the Rio 

 Chones. . The principal port is Bahia de Caraques, after 

 which the cocoa of the province is sometimes called 

 " Bahia," a name rather inappropriate, as " Bahia " is 

 also the commercial name of the cocoa coming from the 

 province of Bahia in Brazil. 



The province of Esmeraldas lies again north of 

 Manabi, and the cocoa plantations are situated along the 

 Rio Esmeraldas. The port is Esmeraldas. 



The seasons vary in the different provinces, and 

 accordingly the main crop is reaped in different months. 

 In the case of the " Arriba " the main crop comes in 

 between March and June, while the "Balao" and the 

 " Machala" are picked mostly in September and October. 



It should be mentioned that the planters in Ecuador 

 are of opinion that the rainfall has been diminishing 

 during the last few years. This naturally causes some 

 apprehension, but in the absence of rainfall records it is 

 impossible to ascertain whether the idea is correct or not. 



The cocoa provinces have mostly a rich alluvial 

 soil ; the layer of humus is generally exceptionally deep, 

 probably deeper than in any other tropical country. In 

 choosing land for cocoa cultivation attention is paid in 

 Ecuador to the thickness of the layer of humus and to 

 the wild plants which grow on it. Some of the latter 

 are regarded as indicating richness of the soil e.g. the 

 Gruarumo (Cecropia peltata), the Bijao (Heliconia Bihai 

 and Heliconia latispatha), Palo de balsa (Ochroma 

 piscatoria), Cana brava (Guadua latifolia .and G. 

 angustifolia), and some members of the Musa family. 



The following table shows the annual export of the 

 different kinds of cocoa from Ecuador in kilograms : 



* 



