26 LAYING OUT A COCOA PLANTATION 



choked with roots. Full advantage should be taken 

 of natural ravines and water-courses by leading drains 

 into them, following the lie of the road as much as possible. 

 The size of the drains and their distance apart must be 

 governed by the character of the soil and the contour of 

 the land. More drains are necessary on heavy land than 

 an that of an open, porous nature. Generally speaking, 

 drains 18 in. wide by 2 ft. deep and from 45 to 50 ft. 

 apart will be found sufficient. It is erroneous to suppose 

 that drains are unnecessary on hUl-slopes, for they are 

 of great value in preventing the washing away of rich 

 surface-soil which otherwise occurs during heavy rains. 

 In such situations a system of smaller and more numerous 

 drains will be found more effective than that described 

 above. In digging them the soil should always be thrown 

 on the lower side of the drain. When completed, the 

 whole drainage system of the estate should be inspected 

 after the first heavy rain, as any necessary alteration can 

 then be noted and rectified when a favourable opportunity 

 presents itself. To ensure the efficient working of the 

 drains it is necessary to keep them clear of the silt and 

 debris which collects in them after heavy rain. As soon 

 as the roads and drains are in satisfactory working order 

 it will be found convenient to mark them on the estate 

 plan for reference purposes. 



Distance Apart to plant Cocoa Trees. — It is impossible to 

 lay down any hard and fast rules regarding the distance 

 to plant cocoa trees apart. The different varieties vary 

 considerably in habit, and a variety which in one country 

 develops into a small compact tree may in another 

 develop into a much more vigorous tree, owing to differ- 

 ences of soil and climate. The Criollo varieties, Theo- 

 broma pentagoim and T. sphcerocarpa grow more slowly 

 and produce smaller-trees than the Forastero varieties. 



Twelve feet may be considered a fair average dis- 

 tance to plant the first mentioned types apart, and 

 15 ft. is usually sufficient for the latter. Trees which 

 have been planted too closely should be thinned out 

 immediately crowding is evident. The disastrous effect 

 of too close planting is well demonstrated by the drawn, 

 straggly trees shown in the photograph (Plate 4). 

 It is incorrect to assume that the best crops will be ob- 

 tained from lands which carry the greatest number of 



