COCOA-GROWING COUNTRIES 397 



in native gardens. The total area in cocoa thus 

 amounted in 1909 to about 36,000 acres, in 1910 to 

 about 33,000 acres. 



The following particulars are mainly taken from 

 Wright's and Lock's publications. 



The combination of rainfall, temperature, and 

 elevation required for the profitable cultivation of cocoa, 

 eliminates many parts of the island for this product. 

 The large tracts of land in the hilly districts cannot be 

 included in the cocoa zone on account of low tempera- 

 tures or unfavourable moisture-conditions. 



The amount of land suited for cocoa cultivation in 

 Ceylon is therefore limited, and the range of suitable 

 elevation is especially small, when compared with the 

 toleration displayed by tea and even rubber in this 

 respect. Thus cocoa is not expected to be really 

 successful in Ceylon below 500 feet or above 2000 feet 

 elevation. A rainfall of at least 60 inches (1500 mm.) 

 is considered to be necessary as well as a good protection 

 from strong winds. 



Of the total area the districts around Kandy and 

 Matale account for some 27,000 acres, and the cultiva- 

 tion extends towards Teldeniya on the east and 

 Kurunegala on the west. A line drawn through 

 Peradeniya, Rambukhana, Nalanda, and Teldeniya will 

 enclose the greater part of this area. Practically the 

 whole of the cocoa in Ceylon therefore grows in quite a 

 small district. 



The rainfall varies between 2000 and 4000 mm. 

 (80 to 160 inches). 



The following are the details of a few cocoa-growing 

 districts : 



