14 PLANTING AND SHADING. 



The after cultivation, i.e., weeding or cutlassing of a Cacao 

 estate is a work which is done on the average about twice in 

 each year. It is done by task work as a rule and at the rate of 

 40c. to 50c, per task, or at a cost of about 5s, per acre. 



The cost of weeding, of course, depends upon the amount of 

 weeds to be cut, and the better the plantation covers the ground, 

 the smaller number of weeds there will be. Seldom or ever does 

 the planter dream of using the hoe for cutting up weeds, 

 although it may be conveniently used in the younger stages of a 

 plantation, before the roots of the Cacao have taken possession 

 of the surface. Hoe weeding is then much more effective than 

 cutlassing, but great care should be exercised that the surface 

 roots are not injured. 



Whatever system is used, the bush should never be allowed 

 to be rolled up so as to cover the stem of the tree, but should be. 

 neatly made into winrows, to be distributed over the ground 

 again, when sufficiently decayed, ^ 



