HOW JOSE FORMED HIS " COCOA " ESTATE 293 



remaining stagnant can only be let off through mains into some other part of 

 the country. If this is not done, a sunny day will cause the sleeping water to 

 get warm to a degree that will affect the cocoa-trees and sometimes destroy 

 many. A ' madrina,' compadre, is the first to consider, as this will have to 

 receive smaller drains as dug from time to time. The ' madrina,' or main 

 drain, I always dig to a depth of 2 to 3 feet, and the smaller ones from 1 to 2 

 feet. I generally make main drains in the middle of the field, but if there are 

 ravines so much the better. 



12. Trimming, — " The trimming of a cocoa estate is the most difficult work 

 thereon. After a crop has been reaped the trees generally throw off their 

 leaves. This is the time some planters will begin the trimmiQg job, but I 

 generally tackle it between the months of March and May, as after this the 

 trees rest, gain strength and put on their load for the season beginning in 

 November. Skilled hands must be employed in the trimming process. The 

 formation of a tree depends upon the knowledge and taste of a trimmer. There 

 are various ways of trimming a cocoa-tree, and all depend on the shape, con- 

 dition and health of the tree. When there are in a plantation trees in very 

 bad order and entwining each other and no ventilation, then the skilful trimmer 

 has a hard task. This job is called derama ; when an estate is in pretty good 

 order and only requires clearing a little, my choice man would only debarillar, 

 i.e., cutting off some small unnecessary branches. When the ends of branches 

 run into each other or bend down, it is necessary to depuniar just a little, that 

 is, to cut off the tips of the branches. The most difficult trimming process is 

 called the entrasacar. When the trees are laden with young fruit some small 

 branches which are considered embarrassing must be cut ofi. Here a skilful 

 labourer can show himself. 



13. Picking. — " The picking, gathering, and breaking of cocoa are the easiest 

 jobs on a plantation. The esgaratadera, or pruning knife, beiag got ready and 

 sharpened, it is fixed, nailed, and tied to the end of a long and straight bamboo 

 or other light and hard pole. Guilkrmo with the peones will start on an early 

 morning, followed by the female gatherers to the field. A sharp picker can 

 pick as much as six barrels in a day if the trees are loaded. Picking cocoa is 

 preferably done by the ' job ' by labourers, but, in order to do a good day's 

 work, they will often fill the barrels with mohongs or green pods. A sharp 

 over-looker will always reject these. A female labourer will always on an 

 average break five barrels a day. The cocoa-pods are heaped together in 

 different parts of an estate where the breaking takes place. Then it is headed 

 to the curing-house, or else crooked on the burros' back or the mule's in caneitons 

 or baskets. When breaking cocoa, if in the wet season, great care must be taken 

 not to allow it to get wet, as in drying it is sure to become black and mildewed. 

 The cocoa wiU remain in the curing-house from four to twelve days. Then it 

 is taken to the cocoa-house for the drying process. 



14. Drying. — " The drying of cocoa may appear simple, but it requires 

 some knowledge and skiB to bring it to perfection. That cinnamon colour 

 and that aroma which every one tries to get is certainly not a very easy task. 

 You must begin at the begiiming, Compadre^ to get these desirable points. 

 When the cocoa is heaped in the cocoa house it is then danced, rubbed with 

 hands and opened ia the sun. When the sun is very hot the cocoa must be 

 closed. Constant raking is necessary. If these points are neglected, I think 

 the desired object will never be obtained. This is the time — ^the first three days 

 — when the cocoa must be watched and caressed, so to speak. No good ending 

 could repair a bad beginning ; you will change the colour of the scheme by 

 artificial means, perhaps, but not the inside. In the wet season when ' Father 

 Sol ' chooses to lie low behind the clouds for ds^ya and your cocoa house is full, 

 your curing house full, your trees loaded, then is the time to put on his mettle, 

 the energetic and practical planter. In such tight corners, amigo, I have 

 known a friend to set fire under his cocoa house to keep the cocoa on the top 

 somewhat warm. Another friend's plan (and he recommended it) was to 



