CHAPTER VIII 



PLANTING, CULTIVATING, AND PRUNING 



Planting. — The best time for planting cocoa is at the 

 commencement of the rainy season, as this gives the 

 young plants sufficient time to become thoroughly 

 established before the dry weather appears. Having 

 partly accustomed the young nursery plants to the con- 

 ditions which obtain in the open field, by removing all 

 shade from them, transplanting may commence during a 

 spell of wet or cloudy weather. The soil is first thoroughly 

 saturated in the baskets or pots with water, to facilitate 

 the subsequent removal of the plants. The roots should 

 be disturbed as little as possible, and if the tap-root is 

 broken or split it should be pruned back with a sharp 

 knife above the injured area. The plants should not 

 be buried too deeply in the ground ; it is quite sufficient 

 if the surface-soil is on a level with the top of the ball 

 of earth taken from the pot or basket. Should this ball 

 be broken the roots in the ground should be buried so 

 chat the surface-soil just reaches the point where the 

 stem issues from the soil in the pot. These elementary 

 matters are of primary importance, as large numbers of 

 young cocoa plants fail to grow satisfactorily if they 

 have been planted too deeply or too far out of the ground. 

 The soil should be firmly pressed around the ball of earth 

 enclosing the roots. It is almost impossible to carry 

 out transplanting without slightly disturbing the roots. 

 It is therefore advisable to protect the foliage from the 

 hot sun ; leafy twigs, palm leaves, or bracken bent over 

 in the form of a cage wiU provide the necessary shade 

 until the young plants start into growth. If a spell of 

 dry weather sets in before they become established in 



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