308 COCOA CHAP. 



Cocoa is grown only in the southern part of the 

 State of Bahia, the principal centres being : 



(1) The municipio of Belmonte. The plantations 

 are situated along the borders of the Rio Jequitinhonha, 

 principally along the northern bank. The export from 

 here at present amounts to 4,200,000 kilograms. 



(2) The municipio of Canavieiras, situated on both 

 sides of the Rio Pardo. The export is about 3,600,000 

 kilograms. 



/ (3) The municipio of Ilheos, where the cocoa is 

 Y I cultivated more in the interior, the coast region 

 ^A apparently being unsuitable. 

 \ (4) The municipio of Itabuna, formerly combined 



1 with Ilheos. These two municipios export together 



(about 1,500,000 kilograms. 



(5) The municipios of Una (situated between 

 Canavieiras and Ilheos) and of Rio de Contas, north 

 from Ilheos. 



The majority of the planters are small proprietors, 

 and the plantations are mostly far from large. In 

 Bahia there is an export duty of 17 per cent ad 

 valorem. 



As has been mentioned, the methods of cultivation 

 adopted in Brazil are very simple. Shade trees are not 

 planted. Formerly a certain number of forest trees 

 were left standing, but this is no longer the custom. 

 When the forest has been cleared, however, and the 

 cocoa seeds have been put into the soil, secondary bush 

 is frequently allowed to grow between the young cocoa, 

 which in this way receives a sort of temporary shade- 

 very often too much of it. In the first few years this 

 secondary bush is occasionally cut down a little, so as 

 to give the cocoa plants room ; but this is sometimes 

 omitted, and the plants have to grow up for a year or 

 two among the weeds and shrubs. Generally, however, 

 the bush is partially removed every year, until the 

 branches of the young trees spread and reach each other. 

 This is soon the case, for the trees are planted fairly 

 close together ; the planting distance varies from 6 to 12 



