IX 



COCOA-GROWING COUNTRIES 419 



; 



\ 

 s 

 s 





 



I 



L 



Cocoa. 



X Kapok. 



{ Row of 



) "lamtoro." 



The great advantage of the " lamtoro " is its remark- 

 able vegetative power ; it may be pruned every two or 

 three months, and each time a great amount of leaves 

 are obtained, which can be used as a green manuring 

 for the cocoa and the kapok. 



Another plan is to plant the cocoa closely and to 

 thin out later on. A good system is to plant the cocoa 

 12 x 12- feet, and to thin out afterwards, leaving the 

 cocoa 12x24 (the kapok 24x24) (Fig. 43, p. 118). 

 But even when this system is used, the interplanting of 

 a leguminous plant is advisable. 



On some plantations cocoa is successfully planted 

 with the Central American rubber tree (Castilloa 

 elastica) (Fig. 45, p. 121). This tree grows remark- 

 ably well in Middle Java, and it must be admitted that 

 the cocoa is not checked in its growth or damaged 

 by the presence of the Castilloa. Still, it seems that 

 the cocoa does not give as high yields as when grown 

 under the shade of a leguminous tree. Besides, the shade 

 given by the Castilloa is rather dense, and a regular 

 pruning is necessary to prevent the foliage system 

 getting too dense. It must also not be forgotten that 

 the Castilloa, like the kapok, is not a leguminous tree, 

 and misses all the advantages of a real shade tree, like 

 the Erythrina, the Inga, etc. ; it does not add nitrogen 

 to the soil, it does not loosen the soil by its roots, and 

 the leaves are not so useful in affording humus. This 

 makes it necessary to manure the fields thoroughly by 

 a humus-forming manure. The dense shade of the 

 Castilloa does not allow the growth of a leguminous 

 undercrop, except in the first few years, when cocoa and 

 Castilloa are young, and it is therefore necessary to use 



