14 COCOA AND CHOCOLATL 
The following statements in relation to the cultivation of the 
taken 
States 
cocoa tree and the curing of the fruit are 
from a report made in 1899 by the United 
Consul General at Guayaquil, who ob- 
tained his information largely from the 
Secretary of the Guayaquil Chamber of 
Commerce. 
‘“Cacao is planted from fresh seed. 
Four or five are put in each hole, which are 
5 yards apart, in rows. Formerly they were 2 or 
3 yards apart, but experience has shown that this 
method does not give the plant sufficient air, light, 
and nourishment. ‘‘ The preparation of 
land for a cacao plantation consists in clearing it 
of small trees, underbrush, and weeds, but 
leaving the large umbra- geous trees. The space 
between the trees is planted in corn, arrowroot, 
or plantains, the lat- ter in abundance, with the double 
object of affording shade to the delicate cacao 
plant and pro- ducing an immediate income. 
These crops are grown until the fifth or sixth 
year, when the cacao has reached a height of 
Sor 9 feet, commences to bear fruit, and enters 
upona stage of perfect vitality. Then auxiliary 
crops cease to be planted and the ground is left clear, 
save for the umbrageous trees, which generally 
stand at intervals of 40 or 50 yards. The 
trees usually selected are the guabo, palo 
prieto, or guachepeli. 
‘In the first few years, the plant is pruned occa- 
sionally, in order that it may ‘run to fruit’ more 
quickly. Manures have never been used, even where 
