14 cocoa: all about it. 



"As we approciched, we heard bursts of laughter, and the 

 tinkling of musical instruments. We spurred forward and were 

 soon in the midst of a scene as novel as it was inspiriting. There 

 were broad avenues of huts, festooned with hammocks in front, in 

 which the Senoritas were reclining in lively conversation with 

 their red-sashed beaux, who idly thrummed their guitars, while 

 the elders of both sexes, seated in the background, smoked their 

 puros and cigaretos, pictures of indolence. Behind, the cattle were 

 tethered to the trees, and here, too, were the fires for culinary 

 purposes, around which the cocineras, chattering like parrots, 

 were preparing the evening cup of Chocolate. Here we found 

 most of our fair friends of the balconies, sipping Chocolate in a 

 hurricane of spirits." 



There are several enemies to the Cocoa tree, among them 

 being the monkey, squirrel, and deer, which are particularly fond 

 of its tender fresh leaves. Parrots also are equally to be dreaded in 

 a Cocoa plantation, but are more easily found out by the planter 

 in consequence of their loud garrulity when they alight in flocks, 

 but wherever they pick a pod with their bills, it rots, and falls to 

 the ground. 



Of the \arieties and cultivation of Cocoa in Trinidad 

 and Grenada, the following extracts are from the pen of 

 D. Morris, M.A., F.G.S., Director of Public Gardens, etc., 

 Jamaica (1882) : — 



Cacao : How to Grow and How to Cure it. 

 " As in a large number of cultivated plants entirely propagated 

 from seed, the Cacao plant is liable to considerable variation, even 

 when seed is takenTrom the best kinds. It is important, therefore, 



