430 COCOA 



CHAP. 



Kilog. 



1905 . . . 1,767,700 



1906 . . - . . 3,272,000 



1907 . . . 1,713,800 



1908 . . . 827,000 



Kilog. 



1909 . . 1,940,000 



1910 . . . 1,412,000 



1911 . . . 1,251,000 



1912 . . . 2,000,000 



XIV. HAITI 



Cocoa culture has been practised in Haiti for a long 

 time. With Trinidad it is the oldest cocoa country of 

 the Antilles. The Spaniards began to plant cocoa on 

 this island in the sixteenth century. 



But it would seem that Haiti was predestined to be 

 visited by wars and revolutions. 



It was the disturbed condition of the country after 

 the war with France in 1664 that caused the first 

 decline in cocoa cultivation ; but later, on the excep- 

 tionally fertile soil, it was started again. 



In the beginning of the eighteenth century in 

 1716 a hurricane devastated the cocoa fields, as well 

 as the houses ; but gradually the culture was re-estab- 

 lished, and at the end of the eighteenth century the 

 export amounted to about 300,000 kilograms. 



From that time the industry continued more or less 

 successfully. Periods of gradual extension were followed 

 by wars or revolutions, which devastated in a short 

 time what had been built up by several years' work. 



So in 1789 the export was reduced to 75,000 kilo- 

 grams ; gradually it increased till, in 1801, it amounted 

 to 270,000 kilograms; in 1819 it was again reduced to 

 100,000 kilograms; but in 1824 the figure of 250,000 

 kilograms was reached. In 1828 it was reduced again 

 to 37,000 kilograms. From this time a more regular 

 increase began, as is shown by the following figures : 



Kilog. 



1836 . . . 225,000 



1843 . . . 350,000 



1858 . . . 728,000 



1862 . . . 871,000 



1880 . . . 1,365,000 



1894 . . . 1,000,000 



Kilog. 



1896 . . . 1,682,000 



1898 . . . 1,621,000 



1900 . . . 2,112,000 



1901 . . . 1,950,000 



1902 . . . 1,990,000 



1903 . . . 2,175,000 



