BOTANY A^D NOMENCLATURE. 53 



haud, to the Calabacillo on the other. In a paper read before 

 the 1st West Indian Conference 1899, held at Barbadoes I stated 

 *hat : — 



" The only attempt at the improvement of the quality of Cacao is 

 that which has been made by the selection of seed by its external character 

 (in the pod) and the import of seed from other countries. The result is 

 that to-day although the remains of the original types are clearly apparent, 

 it is also clear that, though bringing good prices the Cacao as now grown 

 is as a whole nothing less and nothing more than an aggregation of cross 

 breed varieties.* Some few might attempt to do so, but I think a wise 

 planter would hesitate if he was asked to show where Criollo ended and 

 Forastero b egan, or where Forastero ended and Calabacillo began. The 

 fact is that the Cacao of the West Indies is nothing more nor less than a 

 mixture o f various strains, which again vary in and among themselves in 

 no certain direction, and among which the characters of the ancient types 

 appear more or less developed according to the character of their 

 surro undings and the numerous influences which have been brought to 

 bear upon them. The quality of the Cacao produced from these strains 

 (or types) is variable, some selling for good prices, while other brands are 

 decidedly inferior. The character of the leaves, the form of growth, the 

 colour and form of the fruit, the size, shape and colour of the interior of 

 the bean are all variable to a degree, and few trees can be found which 

 are the exact counterpart one of the other, either in their produce or the 

 vegetative characters. 



The discovery (by the author in i8g8) that Cacao can easily be 

 grafted by approach now puts into the hands of the planter means whereby 

 he can secure a crop of one particular kind or kinds at will, and further it 

 will enable him to make samples of a character formerly impossible. It 

 will also enable him to grow such types as the Criollo or any weak grower 

 upon the vigorous growing varieties of the Calabacillo type. 



When grown from seed the selection should only be made after due 

 examination of the interior of the bean, as the quality of the finished 

 article can generally be determined by this means. The trees selected for 

 seed bearers should be vigorous, healthy, of good form and the blossoms 

 should' be' eificiently protected from Cross fertilization, or if deemed 

 expedient the flowers themselves may be artificially fertilized. It would 

 then be seen that the produce could be made to come true to a very high 

 percentage, and once plantations of a single type could be brought into 

 existence, then superiority would be so obvious that no further persuasion 

 would be required to have the method generally adopted, as it would be 

 seen to be the most profitable practice which could be pursued. Fields 

 would then be arranged so as to produce a sample of one certain quality, 

 showing no variation in the size and form of bean or the quality of its 

 interior. It vvould be possible to have plantations on which not a single 

 Red pod could be found, and others on which not a single yellow one could 

 be seen." 



Ho-w easily this result could be obtained by grafting is 

 readily to be seen, and although perhaps slightly more lengthy 

 and expensive, it is I think a preferable mode of propagation, to 

 that of raising from seed ; more expensive it is true, but in. the 



* It has been found that Forastero in Ceylon gives rise to forms representing 

 every type of Cacao grown. (Martin Keport to Planters' Association, 1892.) 



