30 CACAO 



properly labelled, so that the results may be observed and 

 recorded. It must be mentioned here that seed selected 

 from trees standing in a plantation near to inferior kinds 

 will in all probability show a wide range of variation, 

 but not nearly so large as would a selection taken from a 

 heap in the field, without a knowledge of either of the 

 parent trees. By methods described above, the maternal 

 parent is known, and further supplies can be obtained 

 from those trees which show most successful results. In 

 any case, some inferior seedlings are sure to appear, but 

 the maternal strain will assuredly be the most prominent, 

 and the result will be better than if the seed had been 

 taken from pods selected from their outer appearance only. 

 To give the planter definite information as to the actual 

 quality of the produce obtained from his trees selected as 

 seed bearers he should collect a certain amount of crop 

 from each tree, place it for fermentation in muslin bags 

 labelled with wooden labels having numbers cut upon them, 

 and then place them together with his main crop in the 

 " sweat boxes," so as to afford them the usual fermentation. 

 This finished, the samples should be properly cured and 

 finished separately, and the produce of each tree examined 

 and recorded. This will afford him valuable information 

 as to the quality of the tree he has taken as a seed-bearer, 

 and if the produce from any tree does not show high quality 

 he should discard it, and repeat the experiment on the 

 same lines until he secures a set of seed-bearing trees 

 which produce beans of the highest quality. This method 

 should also be adopted when selecting trees for grafting 

 purposes, as it is certain that each grafted tree can be 

 propagated to an indefinite extent, and will produce cacao 

 identical with that borne by the tree from which the grafts 

 or scions are taken. Selected trees should receive definite 

 names or numbers, under which their produce can be 

 recognised and dealt with. Thus, we can readily obtain 

 fields, say, of Buttons' " Conqueror " Cacao ; Jones' 

 " Wonder " Cacao ; or Warner's " Choice " Cacao, &c. ; 

 and the produce of each kind can be planted in separate 



