COCOA-GROWING COUNTRIES 319 



in old plantations they are cut down at the risk that 

 the falling stems will destroy the cocoa trees. 



When the land has been cleared, plant-holes are dug 

 at 3 '50 or 4 m. (10 or 12 feet) distance, as much as 

 possible in straight rows ; between them, rows of plant- 

 holes are dug for the bananas, which have to give the 

 first shade to the young cocoa trees, and must be 

 planted at least six months before. In very good loose 

 soil the plant-holes are made about 70 to 80 cm. (2 '5 

 feet) deep, and at the surface 40 to 50 cm. (l to 2 feet) 

 in diameter ; but if the soil is very stiff or contains big 

 stones they are made as deep as 2 m. (6 '5 feet). In 

 this case a labourer cannot dig more than six holes a day ; 

 on an average a labourer during a year can do no more 

 than dig holes for one hectare. The bottom of the 

 holes must not consist of an impenetrable layer ; to 

 control this the holes are sometimes dug several months 

 before the cocoa is planted; if the rain-water remains 

 standing in them they must be made deeper. 



While the clearing of the forest in San Thome takes 

 less work than in most other countries, the digging of 

 the plant-holes is much more elaborate. 



When digging a hole if a large boulder is met, 

 the hole is not used for planting a cocoa tree ; but a 

 banana is planted there, because this plant does not 

 need to penetrate deep into the soil with its roots, and 

 the cocoa is planted a little farther on. For this reason 

 even young plantations are hardly ever regular. 



First, all sort of vegetable refuse is brought into 

 the hole : fallen leaves, cocoa-shells, etc. ; then follows 

 a layer of good earth, which sometimes is fetched from 

 a distance, and at the top pen -manure. 



On soils which are always wet, or where the water 

 remains standing a long time when the grounds have 

 been flooded by rivers, draining is necessary. As 

 draining is rather expensive, swampy grounds are often 

 not planted. Irrigation is only practised in the north 

 of the island and round the town of San Thome". 



Manuring. It has already been mentioned that 



