386 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



Leaves large, undivided, smooth, broad, pointed, and of a thin texture; of a reddish 

 color and hanging limp from the branches when young, but soon turning green and 

 becoming firm ; flowers produced from adventitious buds under the bark, usually at 

 the " eyes," or points marked by the scars of fallen leaves, small, growing in clusters 

 or solitary, usually only one of a cluster developing into fruit; calyx 5-parted, often 

 of a pinkish color; petals 5, yellowish, concave at the base and having a strap-like 

 appendage at the tip; stamens 10, united at the base into a cup, 5 without anthers 

 and the other 5 alternating with thern bearing 2 double-celled anthers each; style 

 thread-like, terminating in a 5-cleft stigma; fruit somewhat like a cucumber in shape, 

 15 to 25 cm. long, yellow or reddish, longitudinally ribbed, the rind thick and warty, 

 leathery and tough, not splitting when ripe, 5-celled, and containing many seeds in 

 a soft butter-like pulp of a pleasant sweetish-acid flavor; seeds compressed, some- 

 what almond-shaped, with a thin, pale, reddish-brown, fragile skin or shell, cover- 

 ing an oily, aromatic, bitter kernel, which consists mostly of the crumpled cotyledons. 



If taken from the pod the seed soon loses its vitality. It is consequently difficult 

 to transport it to distant countries unless in a germinating condition or in ripe pods, 

 Avhich, if kept cool, will last ten days or perhaps two weeks. 



Cacao must be grown in sheltered situations. The best soil is that of valleys made 

 by the decomposition of volcanic rocks and containing organic matter, as at Santa 

 Rosa, Yigo, and Mataguag in the northern part of the island of Guam, and alluvial 

 deposits along the banks of streams, as in the valleys of Ilig and Tarofofo, on the 

 east coast. Considerable depth is necessary, as the tree has a long taproot. The trees 

 will not bear exposure to the brisk trade winds, which are almost constantly blowing 

 in Guam. Whole plantations are sometimes blasted by the baguios, or hurricanes, 

 which visit the island. 



The seeds are planted fresh from the pods in sementeras, or nurseries. They are 

 taken from the best and largest pods, which are picked from the best-bearing trees 

 perfectly ripe and kept for a week or ten days. On opening the pod it is not 

 unusual to find that the seeds have already begun to germinate. The best pods are 

 those growing on the trunk, and from them the largest seed should be selected. 

 They are placed in the ground about 1 inch below the surface, so that the point 

 where each seed was attached to the placenta is lowermost, thus avoiding a crooked 

 stem and taproot, which are very delicate and easily injured in transplanting. 

 The rows are about 25 cm. apart, with the seed set at intervals of about 10 cm. They 

 sprout in a few days and in a few weeks' time they are ready for transplanting. The 

 best time for transplanting is the beginning of the rainy season. Great care must then 

 be taken, as a slight injury to the taproot will kill the plant. The plants given to 

 the writer by Mr. David Haughs in Honolulu were grown from seed planted in pots. 

 A very good way to propagate them is to plant them in bamboo joints, which may 

 be filled with good fine earth and sunk in the ground. When ready for transplanting 

 the bamboo is split and the ball of earth surrounding the tender roots left intact. 

 Sometimes the seeds are planted on the site chosen for the plantation, so that trans- 

 planting will not be necessary. In this case the ground is cleared and straight rows 

 4 to 5 meters apart marked out by lines. The rows may be a little closer together 

 than this in places where the cacao does not send out very long branches, and 6 

 meters apart where the soil is deep and rich, taking care to plant the seeds in one 

 row opposite the middle of the interval of the row next to it. The position of each 

 hill is indicated by a stake, around which 3 or 4 seeds are planted about 20 

 cm. apart. All the seeds may grow, yet only the most thrifty one is allowed to 

 remain, the rest being either pulled up and thrown away or carefully removed with 

 a ball of earth attached to the roots and planted in the places where seeds have 

 failed to sprout or set out in another field, as in the case of plants grown in 

 sementeras. 



In clearing land for planting cacao a few trees are sometimes left for shade, except 

 in moist valleys, where they are not necessary. 



