32 SHADING AND INTER-CROPS FOR COCOA 



sown in lines 13 ft. apart. About^two years after the 

 seeds have been sown the cocoa is planted in alternate 

 lines, and the Medera provides the permanent shade. 



The San Thome planters utilise numerous indigenous 

 trees as shade, these being left standing when the land is 

 first cleared for planting. The commonest of these are 

 the " Odum " timber tree (Chlorophora excelsa) ; West 

 African Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis, Jacq.) ; Musanga 

 Smiihii ; West African Bread Fruit (Treculia africana) ; 

 Cola-nut tree (Cola acuminata) ; the Silk-cotton tree 

 (Eriodendron anfractuosum) . Where extra shade is neces- 

 sary, various fruit trees are planted, such as Avocado pear 

 (Per sea gratissima) ; Mango (Mangifera indica) ; Jak fruit 

 (Artocarpus integrifolia) ; Sour sop (Anona muricata) ; 

 Bread Fruit (Artocarpus incisa). 



Various rubber trees are employed in some countries 

 for shading cocoa. The Para rubber tree is probably 

 the most suitable species to adopt where soil and climatic 

 conditions are suitable. 



Temporary Shade for Young Cocoa Trees. Young cocoa 

 trees are usually shaded by cultivating catch crops on 

 the vacant land between the trees. The distance apart 

 at which the cocoa tree is planted in different parts of 

 the world varies from 6 to 25 ft., 15 ft. may, however, 

 be considered a fair average distance. Planted at 15 ft. 

 apart the trees will not meet for from ten to fifteen years. 

 It is advisable to cultivate any vacant land between 

 the trees during this period with catch crops, which, 

 while affording the necessary shade, will protect the 

 soil from adverse climatic conditions and yield a return 

 to the planter until his cocoa comes into bearing. The 

 plants most commonly used for this purpose are bananas 

 or plantains (Musa spp.), cassava or manioc (Manihot 

 utilissima), coco or tania (Colocasia antiquorum) . 



Assuming that it be decided to plant cocoa at 15 ft. 

 apart, and the permanent shade trees are 45 ft. apart, 

 a banana should be planted in the centre of every four 

 cocoa trees and a tania, cassava, or similar plant inter- 

 mediate between the other trees. The diagram on page 33 

 illustrates the position of the various plants at the end 

 of the first year. 



When circumstances permit, it is advisable to plant 

 the temporary shade trees two or three months before 



