COCOA-GROWING COUNTRIES 323 



manuring it should, in my opinion, be settled what 

 shade trees are best suited for the purpose. 



Windbelts are especially necessary along the coast. 



Altitude. Generally cocoa is not grown in San 

 Thome on an altitude higher than 650 m. ; on more 

 elevated grounds the seeds are small, and they therefore 

 lessen the commercial value of the cocoa w T ith which 

 they are mixed. 



Pruning is much practised in San Thome except in 

 the native plantations. Pruned trees give a larger /=vu n / 

 crop than unpruned ones. In this island the branch 

 system is often formed at a height of less than 60 cm. 

 above the soil, which is too low. Therefore often a 

 watershoot is left growing in order to form a more 

 elevated foliage system. After two or three years, when 

 the higher foliage system begins to bear, the lower one 

 is removed. 



Suckers are regularly removed. Old trees are cut 

 down just above the soil, after which the wound is 

 tarred. Watershoots are formed after some time; the 

 strongest is allowed to grow up to form a new tree. 



Weeding. In very wet parts weeding is done three 

 times a year twice in the rainy season, once in the 

 dry season. In places where it is less wet, it is only 

 done twice a year. 



Produce. The cocoa tree begins to bear in the y. , 

 fourth year, and is in full bearing from the twelfth to 

 the twentieth year. An estate which gives twenty to 

 thirty pods per tree (1 to 1*5 kilograms of cocoa) is 

 considered to give a good yield. Chevalier believes that 

 the estimate of one ton per hectare as average yield is 

 too high, and thinks that 600 to 700 kilograms per 

 hectare is more likely to be the average. 



Harvest. The principal crop comes in in October 

 and November, a smaller one in March and April. 



The most skilful labourers are charged with the 

 picking of the pods. The fallen pods are laid in small 

 heaps; afterwards these are collected into bigger heaps 

 along the nearest road (Fig. 107). The seeds are put 



