218 CACAO 



suspended in the atmosphere is probably much greater 

 than at the Botanic Gardens. It may therefore be held 

 that what is indicated for this district is the lowest per- 

 missible amount for a district suitable for cacao cultivation, 

 and that such crops would be benefited by a greater 

 amount of humidity. 



The annual rainfall at the Botanic Gardens for the past 

 twenty years shows an average of 66*60 in., and in the 

 longer period of forty-six years this average shows as 

 66-09 in. 



In my experience, humidity is a much more important 

 feature in plant growth than temperature alone, and few 

 plants suffer more than cacao when the year is deficient in 

 moisture. Even in the driest weather in Trinidad the 

 hygrometer shows that during the later portion of the 

 night and early morning, the moisture in the air closely 

 approaches to saturation, and it is only the readings of 

 the period between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. which reduce the 

 record to the average of 79. 



Cacao can stand a certain amount of severe drought 

 for short intervals, but districts which are subject to 

 continued drought are certainly not suitable for the 

 cultivation of the cacao-tree, as under such conditions 

 the tree will certainly perish. 



Cacao cannot stand a persistent breeze of wind of even 

 medium strength, as its young leaves are extremely tender ; 

 they suffer badly where cut by wind, and their functions 

 are seriously affected. Many estates, otherwise perfectly 

 suitable, are rendered useless for cacao cultivation, if 

 situated in a position which is reached by trade winds, 

 such as occur on the north-east of many West Indian 

 islands. This point should be well noted by the intending 

 purchaser of land, and guarded against. If land is 

 purchased in such a situation, the slopes facing the wind 

 should never be planted with cacao, while the opposite or 

 reverse slopes, which are protected, may be valuable 

 lands for the purpose. 



Countries in which the mean annual rainfall is greater 



