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prepared without breaking it or in any way exposing the 
roots. The plant should never be set without removing the 
bamboo as that does not decay readily, even when imbedded 
in the soil. 
In setting a plant it is essential to take care that it is set 
high enough so that the crown-roots are partly visible after 
the soil has settled. The tendency is always to plant too 
low because the soil is usually water-soaked when planting, 
and instead of it settling down the plant settles. This is the 
cause of more root disease in cacao, coffee and citrus than 
most planters realize and it should be strictly guarded 
against. A cacao tree that may be expected to bear fruit 
upwards of a hundred years should certainly not be handi- 
capped from the beginning by the carelessness of some ir- 
responsible workman. This touches upon the question 
whether cacao should be planted on the contract system, as 
in some of the British Islands, which cannot be discussed 
at length. It is unquestionably the cheapest to establish a 
plantation that way but the man who expects to keep the 
plantation as a paying investment would do well to start 
right even thought it costs a little more. 
Inmediately after planting, whether seed or nursery trees, 
the surrounding soil should be covered with a thick layer 
of grass or any weeds, raked up on the ground. This will 
preserve the moisture and prevent the growth of weeds 
close to the plant. 
It is also good practice to place a couple of palm leaves 
on the south east side of the plants to protect them from 
the hot rays of the sun until the surrounding plants become 
tall enough to give the necessary protection. 
