ix COCOA-GROWING COUNTRIES 417 



when it was not quickly replaced by another shade tree. 

 It is, however, difficult to find a really suitable tree, 

 and it may be said that at present no shade tree has 

 been found which in every respect is suitable, like the 

 dadap before it was ruined by its enemies. 



The most popular shade tree at the present time is 

 perhaps the " derris " (Deguelia microphylla), which 

 forms high trees with a light shade. In many estates 

 the results are satisfactory, but in some places the 

 "derris" seems to have a bad influence on the growth 

 of the coffee and cocoa. This is not the case with the 

 " lamtoro " (Leucaena glauca), which is very suitable 

 in many respects, as well for green manuring as for 

 permanent shade. In some places, however, this tree 

 does not grow well. 



The quickly -grow ing " sengon laut" (Albizzia 

 moluccana) would have great advantages, if it were 

 not so liable to attacks of borers, while the allied 

 " sengon djawa " (Albizzia stipulata] is a very slow 

 grower. The " sengon djawa " has also the drawback 

 of being attacked by scale insects and lice, the excre- 

 ments of which cause the cocoa trees to be covered 

 with a black mildew. 



Other trees have also been used with more or less 

 success, for instance Caesalpinia dasyrrliacliis and 

 Adenanthera pavonina. The Samau (Pithecolobium 

 Saman) has been tried, but is generally considered 

 unsuitable, getting too large and giving too dense a 

 shade. 



On the whole the "lamtoro" (Leucaena) seems to 

 be in most cases the most recommendable. When 

 planted first at a distance of about 12x12 feet, it may 

 be thinned out later on, remaining finally 24 x 24. 



All these shade trees afford a light shade, and it is 

 obvious that in Java the shade is much lighter than 

 on most estates in the American cocoa lands. The 

 Java planters all agree, however, that a more dense 

 shade is not recommendable, and would result in small 

 yields. 



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