HISTORY AND CULTIVATION OF THE PLANT. 2 1 



Gathering crop is done as follows : — A number of men. each 

 supplied with a long bambu rod surmounted by a Cacao hook and 

 a cutlass, go carefully over the plantation and pick out all the 

 ri|>e pods. 



These are known by their colour, or better still, by tapping 

 them. If ripe they give a hollow sound, as the seeds are then 

 loose and detached from the outer shell. In gathering 

 |xxis the Cacao hook is used, but the lower ones are ta 

 a cutlass. The Cacao hook is constructed so tha 

 the pod either by a thrust or by a draw. 



I'ew operations upon a Cacao estate require gr 

 gathering crop, and for the following reasons : — 



At the i-i.i^v where a pod is attached (formerly 

 there is a soft cushion or "eye," from which all subsequeil 

 and fruits arise. If this "eye" be damaged — as it inevitably would 

 be if the pod were ruthlessly torn off instead of'being cut — the 

 tree, as far as this point is concerned, becomes sterile. Hence, if 

 a succession of these "eyes" are thus treated, the tree would 

 sjKiedily become j)ractically valueless. 



When the pods have been gathered and left in small heaps 

 near the trees, they are collected by women into larger heaps, and 

 left till the next day. 



The l.irger heaps are generally placed near a cle.ir, ojK-n space, 

 where the processes of " breaking" and "drawing" can be con 



