PLANTING AND SHADIITG. 9 



supply of moisture in the plant itself, nurseries should always be 

 copiously watered the evening before the plants are to be 

 removed to the field. In no case should the plants be exposed 

 to a current of dry air or to direct sunshine. 



In putting the plant into the ground the planter should 

 make sure that he does not plant it too deep or too shallow, — 

 ■what is meant by this is described in a previous Chapter. 

 The surrounding soil at the time of planting should be pressed 

 firmly down, but not made hard, allowance being made for dry 

 and wet weather, but plants should never be put in the ground, 

 if it can be possibly avoided, when the ground is in an exremely 

 sodden condition. 



It is impossible however to instruct in full by writing how 

 a plant should be placed or planted, and one practical demon- 

 stration is worth ten pages of manuscript or letterpress. The 

 novice should therefore seek from the pi-actical experience of 

 others, the requisite knowledge for the purpose. 



The distance which Cacao trees should be planted apart will 

 be determined by the planter in accordance with the character 

 of the soil and the elevation above sea-level. The higher above 

 sea-level and the poorer the soil the closer the trees may be 

 planted and vice versd — a distance ranging from 12 to 15 feet 

 apart each way will "pf^aMy meet all requirements (i.e.) 12 

 feet in poor soil and 15 feet in rich soil. 



In Grenada the practice of close planting is followed much 

 more generally than in Trinidad, but successful planters are to 

 be found among those who follow each system. The wide 

 planting cultivator " get more fruit per tree and of better quality 

 than the close planting cultivator;" while the latter is said to get 

 as much from two trees as the former does from one, and as good 

 in quality. Probably more depends upon the judgment of the 

 individual planter with regard to the character of the soil he is 

 ■working, than upon anything else. If it is poor he will plant 

 close, if rich and deep, he will regulate his planting accordingly. 

 It is not to be doubted however, that where practicable, wide 

 planting give the advant^age of affording easier access to the 

 cultivator for the various operations of pruning, harvesting, 

 manuring, weeding, &c., and the plantations where the practice 

 is carried out certainly assume a much better appearaace than 

 those which are crowded with trees. The supplying of vacancies 

 should be carried on during suitable weather, the aim being to 

 obtain a field showing trees of regular size throughout. 



Planting by contract has its advantages and disadvantages. 

 It is — provided you have a good contractor — one of the simplest 



