66 DISEASES, ETC. 



In the sample under observation 432 beans from healthy pods 

 weighed 1 R>. but it took 565 beans from diseased pods, to make 

 that weight, which is a loss of nearly 25 per cent. 



Professor Harrison called attention to what was probably 

 this disease in his pamphlet on the cacao soils of Grenada, and 

 made analyses of the diseased pods. The following table gives 

 the composition of the dry matter of the whole fruit of the 

 variety Forastero, in a healthy, and in a diseased state, and is 

 followed by remarks by the Professor : 



Healthy. Diseased. 



<i. Organic matters ... 9593 9443 



Phosphoric anhydride ... '81 -59 



Sulphuric anhydride ... '18 -19 



Sodium chloride ... *06 *11 



Iron peroxide ... '05 *04 



Manganese oxide ... traces *01 



Calcium oxide ... -22 -27 



Magnesium oxide ... '65 *59 



Potassium oxide ... 203 2-85 



Sodium oxide ... -03 -40 



Silica ... -04 -50 



10000 9998 



Taking into consideration that the healthy fruits analysed 

 were quite ripe, whilst the diseased ones had only attained about 

 two-thirds of their normal development, the variations in the 

 analytical figures have but little significance. As the contents 

 of nitrogen and of the mineral constituents derived from the 

 soil varied but little in the two cases, probably the prevalence of 

 black cacao in any place is not connected with defects in the 

 composition of the soil. Wherever it has been seen occurring 

 the diseased condition has appeared to be closely connected with 

 an und ruined condition of the soil or with dampness resulting 

 from over-shading and over-crowding the trees. 



o 



The remedial treatment consists in the proper drainage of 

 the soil and judicious pruning of both the cacao and shelter trees 

 to let in light arid air. All affected pods should be separated 



a. Containing nitrogen ... i 52 1*64. 



