212 CACAO 



others more favourably situated to take up the study of 

 this interesting and intricate subject, and, at any rate, the 

 record of the investigation may be of some service and 

 guidance to the owners and managers of plantations, and 

 to those contemplating purchasing suitable land for 

 establishing plantations. 



In the remarks which precede Professor Harrison's paper, 

 quoted here, it was shown that chemical work on produce, 

 which it is difl&cult to identify on account of the presence 

 of innumerable seedling varieties, cannot be expected to 

 afford wholly satisfactory results ; but it is confidently 

 hoped that the introduction of standard varieties which 

 has been suggested will enable chemists to give improved 

 effect to the various points in connection with the chemistry 

 of this valuable product. 



The preceding table of analyses made in the Government 

 Laboratory of Trinidad upon samples of Trinidad and one 

 Venezuelan sample of soils, on which cacao is grown, is given 

 for comparison with those made by Professor Harrison : 



Professor Harrison supplies tables showing results of 

 the examination of eighteen samples of soil, ten of them 

 showing the constituents of a good soil, and eight showing 

 contents of a poor soil, the latter samples being taken from 

 lands known to be poor, and the former from lands known 

 to be rich, taking the average of crops for several previous 

 years. 



The Trinidad table contains figures which appear to be 

 directly comparable with those in Harrison's tables. Both 

 tables show a wide range of variation, and show fairly well 

 the value of the different soils. A comparison of figures 

 — in so far as they are stated in identical terms — appears 

 to show that Trinidad and Venezuelan soils contain a 

 larger percentage of insoluble silica and silicates and less 

 amounts of organic matter than the greater number of 

 those analysed by Professor Harrison, with the exception 

 of the Trinidad and St. Vincent samples. Some of the 

 Trinidad soils are shown to contain over 14-9 per cent, of 

 iron oxide and alumina taken together, while in one case 



