40 CACAO 



be obtained. The variation so clearly apparent in re- 

 production from seed, on any estate, must also follow to 

 a certain degree even where close selection is made, but 

 it is certain that better results will follow from carefully 

 selected seed, than by the use of seed taken by the outside 

 appearance of the pods only, or from the general crop of 

 a plantation. 



It is probable that the present method of cultivation 

 from seed will not be dispensed with for some years to come, 

 but there is little doubt that the sooner it can be entirely 

 abandoned, the better it will be for the cacao planter in 

 general, and especially for him who is wise enough to lay 

 down an estate comprising sets of selected grafted kinds. 



It is scientifically certain that the quickest method of 

 raising improved varieties is to plant successive fields with 

 seeds selected from approved kinds, but, as each improve- 

 ment found has to begin with a single tree, and as for 

 one first-class variety raised thousands of inferior ones 

 will have to be discarded, it is clear that classed and named 

 produce of regular quality can only be obtained by means 

 of vegetative reproduction, in this case budding and 

 grafting being the most suitable method. For the cultiva- 

 tion of grafted kinds the planter cannot do better than to 

 examine closely, approve, and mark down a selection of 

 his best trees, each to be named or numbered, and carefully 

 labelled with indestructible labels. From these he will be 

 able to get at least one dozen grafts each in the second 

 or third year. 



Planted out as soon as united, these young plants, if 

 trained for the purpose, will afford grafted plants by the 

 hundred in a year or two, and once in field rows there would 

 be no limit to the propagation of any special kind desired ; 

 and several thousands per annum could readily be obtained 

 from the trees without interference in any serious way 

 with their production of fruit, as it is only the ends of 

 small branches which are used as scions. This may 

 appear to the cacao planter a large number, but in 

 American and European fruit- tree nurseries 50,000 plants 



