137 



I purchased the place for about 100/. ; at that time it had a few neg- 

 lected Cacao trees here and there. Many (><■. >,.l.- ridiculed my attempt 

 to grow Cacao there, as the land was considered by most persons as 

 almost valueless for that purpose. However, be that as it may. I could 

 easily borrow 2,000/. to-day on its security if 1 wished to do so. My 

 soil is rather poor for Cacao when compared with manv other places'; 

 as you will see. in manv place- there is a bed ol " tuft'" not tar from 

 surface, and you know, when the tap root of a Cacao tree touches 



into contact with this layer of " tuff" ? ' 



" < My Cacao tree- have no nerd lo drive their tap root- very deep, as 



tree is naturally a deep rooter, hut it' it can meet witli its nourishment 

 near to the surface it will most undoubtedly develop it- feeding spongi- 

 oles wherever that nourishment is. and that is what happens in the ease 



" ' Please explain how you do this?' 



" ' Willingly. My Cacao oreliards are, as you observe, on the slope 

 of a hill. Skirting the sides, therefore, among the trees, I have road- 

 cut by simply digging down the slope to a level. These roads arc suffi- 

 ciently wide to admit the passage of a light donkey cart, and as they 

 wind along the hillside in a corkscrew fashion you will understand how 

 they snve a two-fold capacity. First, they act as roads proper, and, 

 secondly, they act as drain-, since a small canal alwa\s skirts the upper 

 edge for the whole of their length. Thus 1 haw my ( 'acao held drained 

 at regular intervals, and. in addition, my donkey ear! can carry manure 

 to any part of my estate ' 



" • How do you apply your manure ? ' 



" 'Very simply; I just have the cart tilled, and the driver upsets it 

 at regular distances over the lower edge ofthe-e roads. I then go 

 round as I can find time and bury this in. L likewise collect all leaves 

 and bush from time to time, and bury these af-o. Von will now see the 

 effects of my system. Look down on the -round : what you are walking- 

 ready for them, and have no need to go deep in search of food. 



" ' My system has converted the tree.- into surface feeders, and pro- 

 vided 1 keep them supplied with food I can fairly be -aid to have them 

 well under control. Now, without manure the ease is different ; the tree 

 has to push its tap-root deeper and deeper • ■\cvy year in search of food ; 



hen compared with my heal 

 mce of young rods all" eag< 

 The good effect of this is e 

 vith those of neighbour in- i 

 What do you average as a 



About 87 bags per annum. 



