COCOA-GROWING COUNTRIES 341 



is flat and the soil stiff, a regular system of open drains 

 is considered necessary. 



Planting at stake and from nurseries are both prac- 

 tised ; as in Surinam, many planters also in Trinidad 

 are in favour of using nursery plants, and well-managed 

 nurseries are to be found here with the plants standing 

 at distances of 1 or 1^ feet, well covered with a roof of 

 banana leaves. But, as Hart remarks, the method of 

 stake has also advantages, and as explained in Chapter 

 VI. the combination of both systems may be found 

 the best for Trinidad also. 



The coating of the seeds with lime or ash before 

 planting to avoid the attack of insects is generally done. 



In Trinidad the choice of temporary shade plants does 

 not appear to be of great consequence. The banana, 

 the tania, and the cassava may be mentioned as mostly 

 used, but also pigeon peas (Cajanus indicus), castor-oil 

 plants (Ricinus), and corn (Zea Mays) are often to be 

 found in the young cocoa plantations. 



When planted by a contractor these temporary 

 shade plants are planted in very different w T ays and a 

 uniformly adopted system does not exist : the choice of 

 plants and the way of planting may be very different. 

 When the planter does the planting himself there is 

 generally more system in planting. 



The rows of bananas are usually placed between 

 the cocoa rows and at half the distance of the cocoa, 

 the distance being 7^- feet if the cocoa is planted 

 at 15 feet. In this system sometimes tanias are 

 planted in the cocoa row T s. Another system is to 

 plant in the cocoa rows a banana between every two 

 cocoa plants, while a banana is sometimes planted also 

 between the cocoa rows in the centre of every square 

 formed by four cocoa plants. Tanias, pigeon peas, and 

 cassavas are planted between the bananas and the cocoa, 

 and the more drought is to be feared on the land planted, 

 the closer the shade plants are put together. The 

 banana usually used as shade is the " Jamaica " or 

 " Gros Michel," the variety so largely cultivated in 



