99 



found advisable to grow without shade. In Grenada this course 

 has been attended with success (Proc. Agric. Soc. Trinidad, viii. 

 1908, p. 85). 



Where manure is difficult or costly to procure it would be 

 advisable to use plants or trees known to afford a supply of nitro- 

 genous matter, often the one element of importance lacking in a 

 tropical soil. Plants of approved value for green manuring are 

 Erythrina lithosperma, Albizzia moluccana, Phaseolus spp., Cro- 

 talaria striata, Arachis hypogaea (ground nut), Vigna Catiang 

 (cow pea), Cajanus indicus (pigeon pea), and various other 

 leguminous plants. 



The trees bear fruit on the old wood, and pruning should be 

 very carefully attended to in the early stages, when all that is 

 required can be done with a knife. The natural tendency of the 

 tree is a trichotomous branching, and with this as a basis little 

 difficulty should arise in controlling the development of a well- 

 formed tree. An open centre, total height kept down to 15 or 

 20 feet for convenience in gathering and shading, free access of 

 air and tempered light, are results specially to be desired. When 

 the saw is called into requisition, as it may be occasionally, more 

 especially for diseased branches, tar or some other convenient 

 styptic should be applied after the cuts have been made clean and 

 smooth with a sharp knife. 



From the time of flowering the development and ripening of 

 the pods occupies nearly six months. Collection is necessary at 

 nearly all times of the year, the pods on each tree ripening at 

 different times. Practical experience only will enable the culti- 

 vator to select those properly matured. Usually, the pods of good 

 colour, and which sound hollow on a tap from the knuckle or 

 knife handle, or in which the contents can be heard to move 

 slightly when shaken, are in a fit state to be cut. Each pod ought 

 to be removed singly, and cut with a sharp knife or " machete." 



In Trinidad a special form of knife is used which enables the 

 operator to separate the pod from the tree by an upward or side 

 thrust (on a straight edge), or by a pull (on a nearly semicircular 

 edge) (Mus. Kew). With a long shaft it is convenient for the 

 removal of pods towards the top of the tree, but for those within 

 easy reach an ordinary blade is considered the more convenient. 

 Great care should be exercised to avoid injuring the wood of the 

 stem at the point of attachment to the peduncle, as it is from 

 near this place that the next batch of flowers will arise. 



The collected pods are split open with as little delay as possible 

 and the contents put at once to ferment in heaps, covered with 

 banana trash, or in a receptacle — box, barrel or specially con- 

 structed tank — capable of containing not less than 500 lbs. 



The object of the fermentation is to remove the mucilaginous 

 matter, to destroy the vitality of the seeds, and to give the requisite 

 colour — light brown or cinnamon in the case of " Criollo," and 

 dark brown for " Forastero " (Hamel Smith in the Confectioners 1 

 Union, Jan. 15th, 1900) — flavour and aroma to the bean, and t<> 

 procure the easy and fine "break" of* a well-cured cocoa-bean. 

 The ideal bean should have the shell a nice bright red, with a 



33385 G 2 



