HISTORY AND CULTIVATION OF TIIK PLANT. 9 



I 714 from sccils sui)i)li(il by ihc merchants of Marti 11 iciiic*. who 

 also sent over slaves to cultivate the plantation. It is now one of 

 the most prosperous of the Little Antilles, and, Jis an ICnj^lish 

 possession, proviiles us with larije supplies of Cocoa. 



Trinitlail is, however, by far the most important of our I'^ni^lish 

 jX)ssessions in the Little Antilles. The Spaniards established 

 themselves there in 1525, and applied much can- to the cultivation 

 of Cocoa, which attained so hij^h a value that it was preferred 

 to the finest jjrowths of Caracas. These plantations were t<Jtally 

 destroyed by a hurricane in 1727, and the island was almost 

 abandoned. About 60 years later, a Catalan sailor was so much 

 struck with the fertility of the soil that he took possession of the 

 beautiful valley of VaL,aiaraparo, and was successful in attain 

 establishing^ Cocoa plantations on the island. Soon after that time 

 Trinidad was definitely cetled to Knjrland, and it has not only 

 rej^ained its former reputation for some of the finest brands of 

 Cocoa in the world, but has for many years been one of the chief 

 sources of supi)ly to Britain. IVinidad, at the present time, 

 produces over 22 million lbs. per annum. 



An interesting account of the ri.se and growth of the West 

 India Islands, written by Dalby Thomas in 1690, appeared in 

 the " Ilarleian Miscellany," and we extract the following amusing 

 account of this early attempt and f.iilure by the I^nglish to cultivate 

 Ct)coa:- "Cocoa is now a com modit y to be regard e d in our 

 colonies, though at first it was the principal invitiUiuiI-LO-the. 

 peopling of Jamaica, for those walks the Spaniards left behind 

 them there, when we concjutrred it, i)roiluceil such prodigi(nis j>rofit 

 with solitf'" "'Mbh' that .Sir T'^-'^ M.wi;r..rd and several oili.i-x >,! t 



