COCOA. 



21 



In a virgin soil, wliere the tree is likely to attain a good size and the 

 " Creole " species is planted, the trees are placed 14 or 15 feet apart, 

 so that in a space of 12^ feet square there would be one at each angle 

 of the square. This distance is reduced where the soil is poorer. 

 Some planters, by a system of false economy, plant their trees closer ; 

 but this is a bad system, for though there may be a greater number of 

 trees to the acre, the production and vigour will be less from want of 

 air, the trees will shoot up thin and weak, and produce less fruit. 



The species known as Trinidad cocoa is rather larger and hardier, 

 and requires more room, but it is usually planted in poor or im- 

 poverished soils. It is a native of Trinidad, or of Campano, a province 

 of Cumana. It has degenerated much, and is now chiefly distinguished 

 from the Creole cocoa by its greater resistance to atmospheric changes, 

 and by the character and treatment of its fruit. 



If the ground is to be planted with bananas, as soon as it is possible 

 trenches are made to draw off the water. Nature can best be followed 

 in this by affording facilities for carrying off the excess of water arising 

 from the heavy rains. In this consists the principal work of the 

 planters of the Eio Choco, and it entails the heaviest expense, because 

 many insist that there should be a trench to each row of trees to 

 ensure good crops and the healthy durability of the tree. The more 

 it is intersected with channels for drainage the more prosperous will a 

 plantation be. 



When the land has been planted with its rows of bananas, and fur- 

 nished with its water channels, the next step is to plant young trees 

 of bucare {Erythrina umhrosa and E. velutina). 



The cocoa tree requires the protective shade of another tree to 

 thrive, and the younger it is the more it requires shade, hence the 

 banana or plantain suffices at first, but the bucare protects it during 

 its after life. This shade tree is planted either by suckers or seeds in 

 the interval between every three cocoa trees, or about 25 to 35 feet 

 apart. 



At the same time that the operation of preparing the plantation is 

 going on, the nurseries or seed-beds of young plants should be attended 

 to, so that they may be ready for moving when about eight or ten 

 months old. The work of transplanting requires great care, so as 

 to have a ball of earth round it, and care must be taken not to injure 

 the roots, for if these are damaged the plant dies off. The younger 

 the plants are transferred the better they succeed. 



It is better to form a plantation from seeds, if the necessary care 

 can be given to the young growing trees without too much expense. 

 In forming seed-beds the finest fruits are chosen fully ripe ; they are 

 opened with care so as not to injure the seeds, which are set a foot 

 apart in furrows about two inches deep, and slightly sprinkled over 

 with earth and then covered with plaintain leaves. After fifteen days 

 the leaves are removed, as the seeds will have sprouted. From this 

 time to transplanting all the care necessary is to keep down weeds, 

 which might choke the young plants. 



The tree requires to be kept free from weeds and ants, which are 

 fond of its young leaves, and boring grubs, which attack the bark. 



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