\->H 



I'LANTATIUNS OF CACAO. 



CHAP. XIV. Dolichos prurietis, which excite great irritation of the 

 — skin, blew tliem into the faces of those who were passing 

 by. From Guacara they returned to New Valencia, 

 where they found a few French emigrants, the only 

 ones they saw during five years in the Spanish colonies. 

 Cacao-pi.in- '^'i'-' cacao-plantations have always been considered as 

 utions. the principal source of the prosperity of these countries. 

 The tree {Theobroma cacao) which produces this sub- 

 stance is not now found wild in the woods to the north 

 of the Orinoco, and begins to be seen only beyond the 

 cataracts of Atures and Maypures ; but it abounds near 

 the Ventuaro, and on the Upper Orinoco. In the plan- 

 tations it vegetates so vigorously, that flowers spring out 

 even from the woody roots wherever they are left un- 

 covered. It suffers from the north-east winds ; and the 

 heavy showers that fall during the winter season, from 

 December to March, are very injurous to it. Great 

 humidity is favourable only when it augments gradually 

 and continues a long time without interruption. In the 

 dry season, when the leaves and young fruit are wetted 

 by a heavy shower, the latter falls to the ground. For 

 these reasons the cacao harvest is very uncertain, and 

 the causes of failure are increased by the depredations of 

 worms, insects, birds, and quadrupeds. This branch of 

 agriculture has the disadvantage, moreover, of obliging 

 the new jdantcr to wait eight or ten years for the fruit 

 of his labours, and of yielding an article of very difficult 

 preservation ; but it requires a much less number of 

 slaves than most others, one being sufficient for a thou- 

 sand trees, which at an average yield twelve fanegas 

 annually. Itaj)peared probable, that from 1800 to 1806 

 the yearly produce of the cacao-plantations of the capi- 

 tania-general of Caraccas was at least 193,000 fanegas, 

 or 287,290 bubhels, of which the province of Caraccas 

 furnished three-fourths. The crojjs are gathered twice 

 a-year, at the end of June and of December. 



Humboldt states, as the result of numerous local 

 estimates, that Europe consumes, — 



