344 COCOA 



CHAP. 



every three cocoa trees ; sometimes when the cocoa is 

 planted at a rather wide distance, there is a shade tree 

 to every two cocoa trees. Generally the distance of the 

 " Bocare " is 30 to 35 feet. 



The " Anauca," on the higher lands, is planted wider ; 

 the shade afforded here is therefore less. One " Anauca" 

 is planted to every three or four cocoa trees, and the 

 distance of the shade trees is generally 35 to 40 feet. 



These distances of the shade trees are rather close, 

 and it may seem at first sight that they could be 

 planted wider, but the general opinion in Trinidad is 

 that a close planting of the shade trees is necessary to 

 avoid suffering of the cocoa from drought. 



Weeding is more or less carefully done. Generally 

 the established plantation is weeded only twice a year. 



Pruning is done in Trinidad in very different ways, 

 and, as in some other countries, views about this part of 

 the culture are widely different. On several plantations 

 the pruning-knife or machete is used very indiscrimin- 

 ately, and not only a great number of young branches 

 but also thick and old ones are cut away without any 

 necessity, and after pruning the ground is covered with 

 a thick layer of branches and twigs. It is to be under- 

 stood that, seeing the results of this method, some 

 Trinidad planters have become enemies of pruning ; 

 they call themselves " anti-pruners " and their object is 

 to remove only the watershoots (suckers). 



It must be said that the appearance of the trees on 

 plantations where this method is followed is much 

 better than on those where branches are cut away 

 incessantly and indiscriminately, while the production 

 is doubtless higher. But still a sensible and not too 

 heavy removal of the too numerous twigs in the centre 

 of the tree is useful in Trinidad as elsewhere. 



Trinidad as well as other countries has cocoa diseases, 

 but none up till now is of such importance as to be 

 regarded as a calamity for the country. 



The most important are the following : 



The ordinary "blackening of pods" (caused by 



