CACAO 



117 



and small twigs. A typical cacao tree should have one stem, 

 giving off at a few feet from the ground three to five branches 

 which spread in an open manner, and are free from leaves 

 except at the tops — thus the leaves shade the open inner 

 portion without interfering with a free circulation of the air. 

 If the young plants throw out more than one main stem, the 

 surplus ones must be pruned off ; and, after the lateral 

 branches are formed, no upward prolongation of the stem 

 must be allowed to grow. If the tree be left alone these 

 upward growing branches will come off from the stem, just 

 below the laterals, in the form of^jsuckers, and to leave them 

 on is to cause the strength to bp\f&,ken from these fruitful 

 laterals, as well as to allow the tr^es^^io run up, perhaps, for 

 thirty feet or more, thereby Causing mq^ih trouble in picking 

 the pods. When the suckers ^^are Wuned ^off, fresh ones will 

 grow after a short time, so thatVhe wees \v^ll require frequent 

 attention until they arc*, mature, vhen the tendency to throw 

 cut suckers will be stoi^^^d. In gathering the pods, the 

 suckers may be taken ofiKat the sanite time, but the trees 

 should not be prutied in th^ flowering sWson. 



The first flowers, under fUvolu'able conditions, will come 

 out at the thii^d year, but as t^^ tree is noVmature then, they 

 should by no means be allowenj to produca^^poas, otherwise 

 the plant will be so weakened by\he fruiting that its growth 

 will be greatly checked. The first flowers, therefore, should 

 all be rubbed off. After* waiting three years for produce it is 

 no doubt rather dishearlsening to-be compelled to pr^ent 

 fruit from formiilg,-but it l;nust b^ ^one if the planter lo/k to 

 the future big gain and noi the present small loss. Gen/rally 

 crops cannot be ^xpecteo^rom cacao under five year 



Manuri:^.— UViless in the case of sickly plants/on pcio 

 soil, the treeV will not require manuring until the/:rops arj 

 taken off ; whe^ii, ate may be imagined, it will be n4cessa^> 

 restore to the s^lfin a cheap way, what has beejW-emov^ 

 the valuable produce. A good deal will naturq^y depe 



The best 

 type of a 

 cacao tree. 



Only one 

 main stem 

 allowed to 



Suckers 

 to be 

 removed. 



