PICKING AND HARVESTING 133 



fruit, it remains a weak spot, as will be seen by slipping a 

 penknife through it, and it is undoubtedly the spot that 

 most easily cicatrises, and should further proof be needed 

 it can be noted that the small black fruit all drop at this 

 point." 



There can be no doubt that Mr. Agostini has directed 

 the attention of his brother planters to a most important 

 point, as a pod removed, leaving the jointed portion 

 attached to the tree, is clearly more likely to heal without 

 fungus infection than one removed quite close up to the 

 cushion. 



The point, however, is an old and well-known one, and 

 has long been practised by first-class fruit-growers, who 

 always cull their fruit in this manner, well knowing that 

 the stump of the fruit stalk will afterwards be dropped in 

 a natural manner by the formation of an " absciss layer " 

 which sheds the stump, leaving a healed surface not subject 

 to infection by micro-fungi ; or, as Mr. Agostini writes : 

 " The small piece of stalk remaining has shrivelled up and 

 dropped, leaving a clean scar." 



Since bringing the picker shown in Fig. 37 into use, its 

 designer has improved it by doing away with the hooked 

 portion of his instrument, leaving only the horizontal 

 cutting edge. He states that it is essential to keep this 

 edge " always keen," and on this point there can be no 

 difference of opinion among those familiar with the subject. 

 Mr. Agostini deprecates the reaping of cacao with shears, 

 scissors, &c., for he says, and rightly so, that " in using 

 these instruments the remaining portion of the stem will 

 be squeezed and not ' clean cut,' if the instruments are 

 not extremely sharp." 



In the author's opinion. No. 37 picker or knife is a 

 decided improvement on any form previously in use in 

 Trinidad. No. 38 is, however, of more recent date than 

 Fig. 37, its chief point appearing to be the hollowing of 

 the blade so as to allow of its passing more easily under 

 the pod. It is highly spoken of by Trinidad planters, 

 although some are of opinion that it would be an improve- 



