HOW JOSE FORMED HIS " COCOA " ESTATE 291 



" My pickets being put at 12 feet from each other, an acre of land gave me 

 302 trees. At 14 feet by 14 feet it would have given me 222 trees, or at 16 feet 

 by 16 feet 170 trees, 10 feet by 10 feet an acre would give 435 trees, but I 

 have found out that 12 feet by 12 feet just will give the quantity I think gives 

 the best results and suit my purpose. 



" Some planters now Socio, will plant immortelle at 40 feet. This, I think, 

 depends upon the soil and the locality, as in places where the soil is indifierent 

 the figs and the immortelle must be planted nearer and nearer.* I always 

 planted the bucare immortelle, as I consider it better than the Anaiica, as it is 

 not so easily uprooted by the winds. There are in the modern school some 

 planters who would like to do away with the immortelle, but, Caramba I amigo I 

 let them go on, but don't you, if you have any to spare, lend these people 

 money, t The immortelle is necessary — vitally necessary — on a cocoa estate. 

 Cacao-trees always look healthy and bear weU under them. The immortelle 

 is truly the madre del cacao. It does not only protect the cocoa from the great 

 heat of Padre Sol, but also the soil from the heavy showers that would otherwise 

 wash its nourishment away, and also, like the figs, enriches the land. 



6. VegeUAles, tfec. — " The vegetables came to perfection in a short time, 

 but before any I got a crop of agouma. This agouma as you know grows of itself 

 from any land that is lately burnt. Ramsammy nowadays will sell this in 

 the nearest village. Next I had my crop of maize. What I didn't require for 

 arepa or juangoo and balls — a nice food, companero — I sold out, leaving always 

 some to feed the fowls with. The malojo or com bush was always welcome 

 to Paranda the burro. 



" The manioc or bitter cassava in twelve months' time had come to per- 

 fection. 1 had the cassava bread and farine, not counting the carta or casaripe 

 — a sauce which beats your Yorkshire or Worcestershire, Senor. The old 

 woman, too, did not require to buy any starch. Between eight and twelve 

 months the Creole favourite vegetable — ^the plantain — had come to perfection. 

 The plantain wiU grow and bear in any part of the island, but the best results 

 are obtained in a rich SOU. The tannia is in its glory on the lulls. The northern 

 range of hills is especially adaptable to it. The tannia in six months' time is 

 ready for the market. 1 never pull a tannia but dig around it, taking away the 

 vegetable, and then cover it up again with the soil. In this way I ensure 

 another crop from the same plant. In four to six months the sweet C£issava 

 or manioc is good for the table. 



6. Nurseries. — ^" After I finished planting I made a nursery. This was in 

 anticipation that many of the oocoa-trees would from some cause or other die, 

 and I would have to replace them in my first cleaning. Beside the cocoa 

 nursery, I also made an immortelle nursery. Cocoa nurseries I always plant 

 at the latter part of the year. I prefer to have the nurseries in cut bamboos, 

 as a safe means for transportation. The bamboos are easily removed, whereas, 

 suppose the nursery is on the ground, the digging and transference of the trees 

 will cost a lot, and then how many wiU survive the operation. My immortelle 

 nursery I generally make in a very cool spot and plant the seeds at a distance 

 of 8 to 12 inches apart. I always cover the spot with fig leaves. (Fig equals 

 various members of the banana tribe. ) My land being all planted up, whilst 

 awaiting the provisions to come to perfection to help me in the market, I had 

 to start on my next duty. 



7. Cleaning or Weeding. — " A few weeks after planting, the field began to 

 show here and there patches of green grass — ^the agouma and the z'oreille 

 mulattes, and where the soil was a little sterile, the camboot. The two former 

 can be made use of in the kitchen, but the camboot will be rejected even by a 

 starving burro. Great care must be taken in the first cleaning of a field. Near 

 the pickets where the cocoa roots are, the hand is better used. Select labourers 

 must be employed for this ticklish job. I have found Sammy the best sort of 



"' Sound argument.— J. H. H. Good. — J. H. H. 



