198 



CACAO 



POUNDS PER ACRE PER ANNUM 



Manuring. — Where the Erythrina is used as a shade tree, 

 manuring should be directed largely towards the upkeep 

 of the potash and phosphates necessary to enable the 

 shade trees to do their part as nitrogen collectors, and 

 where no shade trees are used the mineral manuring ought 

 to be more largely supplemented by nitrogen. Thus the 

 following mixtures or mixtures of other materials yielding 

 the same proportions of nitrogen, phosphates and potash 

 per acre might be advisedly tried on cacao plantations : 



Erytbrina need tor shade. Not ebaded. 

 Nitrate of soda ...... 1 cwt. . . 2 cwt. 



Superphosphate of lime 36 per cent, soluble . i „ i » 



Potash sulphate . . . . . . 1 „ . . i » 



The materials should be well mixed and applied, in 

 quantity according to the number of trees planted per acre, 

 around each tree at a distance of about two to three feet 

 from the stem. 



An excellent way of applying phosphatic manures to the 

 cacao-tree is by the use of slag phosphate. This has given 

 highly satisfactory results, both in British Guiana and in 

 Grenada. Where plantations are being newly started 

 much advantage to the growth of the plants may be 

 obtained by mixing the soil in the immediate vicinity of 

 where the cacao is to be planted with from two to four 

 pounds of slag phosphate meal. 



Attention has also been directed to ascertaining the 

 changes which the beans with the surrounding pulp 



* Arerage return per acre assumed to be 450 lb. 



