PICKING AND HARVESTING 131 



nearest tree, as likely to be " cacao " as any other. The 

 superior workman as a rule carries a well-sharpened blade, 

 and with this instrument he severs all pods from the tree 

 within his reach. The cacao-tree bears from buds or 

 points (cushions) on the main stem, from near the ground 

 upwards, and also on the larger and smaller branches. 

 The lower pods, growing as they do from the ground line 

 upwards, are easily removed by either the knife or cutlass, 

 but for the topmost branches a long-handled tool is 

 necessary, as the trees are too slight to admit of being 

 climbed, and ladders or steps are impracticable for general 

 use for many reasons. The picking is done by men, the 

 pods being allowed to fall to the ground, from whence they 

 are collected into heaps, and as a rule opened on the field 

 by men, women, and children. That an advance is being 

 made is shown by the improvements designed and made 

 in the cacao picker by planters themselves. Years ago 

 they cut and wounded with the old picker, but to-day 

 they require something better, and specially designed not 

 to wound the trees. 



Fig. 35 shows the form of cacao picker which has been 

 in use for nearly a century, and is still being largely used. 

 It measures from entrance to socket, to the cutting edge, 

 some 5 to 7| in., in yarious patterns, and the distance 

 between the extremities of the cutting edge measures from 

 2 to 3 J in. The forms shown as Figs. 36, 37, and 38 are of 

 similar size, but Fig. 37 is the lightest of the number 

 and is clearly an improvement on the common form. 

 These " pickers " are called by the Spanish " Esgarata- 

 dera," and by other names. Fig. 39 shows a picker 

 with the long-handled Esgaratadera at work, and two 

 women with baskets collecting. Great improvements 

 have recently been made in the forms of this tool, 

 and we have now the " Kavanagh knife " and the 

 " Melville Murray knife," both made with movable 

 blades. These have been highly commended. Other 

 inventions, it is reported, will shortly appear. This is 

 very satisfactory, as showing that planters are now fully 



