378 



COCOA 



The Government does its best to help the cocoa 

 industry, and a good thing has been the reduction of the 

 export duty, which amounted until 1910 to 8s. 5d. per 

 100 kilograms, but has now been reduced to one-half. 

 Besides, great efforts are made to improve the roads. 

 Also, for drainage and irrigation important works have 

 been undertaken. 



As to the technical side of agriculture, however, 

 much remains to be done, and an agricultural department, 

 with an experiment station and garden, and able men 

 to advise the planters, would find in this country a large 

 field for useful work. 



Cocoa is grown especially in the northern part of 

 the island. The rainfall is greater there than in the 

 south. The following districts are the most important 

 as regards cocoa culture: Puerto Plata, Sanchez, Moca, 

 San Francisco de Macoris, Salcedo, La Vega, Cotuy, 

 Samand, Sabana la Mar, Higuey, Seybo, Monte Plata, 

 San Cristobal, and a part of San Carlos. The best 

 quality of cocoa comes from Seybo, Higuey, Sabana la 

 Mar, and the southern part of Samana. 1 



Generally, planting in the open field ("at stake") 

 is practised. Three seeds are put into the soil at a 

 distance of 6 inches ; when the plants have reached a 

 height of about 1 foot, the strongest one is left and 

 the two others are removed. 



1 The greatest amount comes at present from the country between San 

 Francisco de Macoris and Moca. The transport is here facilitated by the railway 

 to Puerto Plata and Sanchez. 



