PAItT II. 



CHAPIER VI. 



Picking. 



■H 



'N picking Cocao it is the practice to make use of an^ 

 iastrument known as a Cacao hook, which is manu- 

 factured £or ihe purpose. 



The iustrumeiit is made of a shape to be used 

 either \>y a puah, or pull, or by a side cut, and when 

 kept well sharp, and affixed to a light bamboo rod, 

 serves admirably for collecting the pods from the- 

 liigher branches of the Cacao tree, but a sharp cutlass or knife is 

 used for taking the pods from that portion of the tree withia 

 reach of the arm. Care should always be taken not to cut too- 

 close to the " cushion" or point at which the Cacao pod is borne, 

 as the tree presents a s.uCr«ession of flowers and fruit from or 

 near the same point or " cushion" each season ; and if the part i» 

 wounded by a cutting instrument or bruised by a blunt one, the 

 supply of flowers, and consequently fruit, will be reduced during 

 the following season. 



The pods or fruit of the Cacao tree should not be harvested 

 until they are properly ripe, and it requires a considerable- 

 amount of practice and experience to judge when the pod is fib 

 to be gathered. If collected when over-ripe, or when insuffi- 

 ciently ripe, the quality of the produce is much afiected, as it 

 assuredly results in making an uneven sample. Only skilled and 

 careful workmen should be employed for this work, as the 

 planter will save a large amout of after picking and sorting if 

 the harvesting is properly done. It is much better to go' through 

 the plantation and pick "little and often," and secure good' 

 samples, than to pick ^rreen and over-ripe together and have 

 afterwards the trouble of aurting the picking, to eliuiiuate tha- 

 inieriur beana. 



