NURSERIES 83 



score of expense or. of time ; and it is confidently expected 

 that in the very near future these processes will be generally 

 adopted as one of the necessary operations of every well- 

 managed cacao estate. There is one point on which it is 

 necessary, in Trinidad, to caution planters adopting these 

 practices. They should take care that they fully under- 

 stand the meaning and the details of the practice. Un- 

 fortunately, there are many persons who understand that 

 the mere act of grafting improves or makes better the 

 quahty of the fruit of the grafted tree. Such should learn 

 that grafting has no such effect, and that the process is one 

 which merely perpetuates or increases the numbers of any 

 special kind of tree, the quahty of which is desirable and 

 already known. It may appear strange to some readers 

 that such opinions are prevalent in Trinidad, but they 

 exist among even the better classes, and as they may exist 

 elsewhere, attention has been directed to the fact. 



With areas planted exclusively with selected varieties 

 propagated by grafting, a proprietor would be able to 

 manufacture cacao samples of the highest quality. It 

 would be in his power to grow trees producing a high- 

 coloured cacao, a cacao with a fine break, a cacao with 

 fine aroma and flavour, or a cacao which is known as 

 having " body " or weight ; all of which qualities are in 

 demand by the manufacturer in making his blends of the 

 finished article of " cocoa " powder or chocolates. 



Budding and grafting are not in any way expensive 

 operations, and should in a very short time fully com- 

 pensate for extras which may be incurred by their use, as 

 the advantages are so apparent that, once understood, no 

 one could be found to deny their importance and value. 

 The methods are simple in the extreme, and have been 

 readily learned by the younger members of the laboiuring 

 staff in the Botanical Departments of Trinidad and many 

 other colonies, so that competent workmen are available 

 for estates. 



