CULTIVATION OF COCOA. 



299 



come up, it is sometimes necessary to water them, also to protect them 

 from the sun by arbors of palm, and to watch carefully for their pro- 

 tection from insects. In January, the plants are removed to their per- 

 manent place, where they are set out in squares of twelve palms. 

 Plantains, Indian corn, or anything of quick growth, are planted be- 

 tween the rows, for their further protection from the sun whilst young. 

 These are to be grubbed up so soon as they begin to press upon the 

 cocoa trees. 



In good land the trees will give fruit in three years, and will con- 

 tinue to give for many years ; though tradition says they begin to fail 

 after seventy or eighty. 



The trees bud and show fruit in October or November for the first 

 crop, and in February and March for the second. The summer harvest 

 commences in January and February ; and the winter crop, which is the 

 largest, is gathered in June and July. One crop is not off the trees 

 before the blossoms of the second appear. We saw no blossoms ; and 

 I heard at Obidos that the winter crop had probably failed entirely. 



Every two thousand fruit-bearing trees require, for their care and 

 croppage, the labor of one slave. 



When they are young they need more attention, and two are neces- 

 sary. The trees are kept clean about the roots, and insects are care- 

 fully destroyed ; but the ground is never cleared of its thick covering of 

 dead leaves, which are suffered to rot and manure it. 



The earth of the cacoaes that I saw opposite Obidos is a rich, thick, 

 black mould, and is the best land I have seen. It is low, particularly, 

 at the back of the plantations; and the river, by means of creeks, finds 

 its way there, and frequently floods the grounds, destroying many 

 trees. The banks of the river are five or six feet high ; but the river is 

 constantly encroaching upon them. Senhor Silva told me that, when 

 he first took possession of the place, he had seven rows of trees between 

 the house and the river; now, only three rows remain. The houses 

 have frequently to be moved further back, so that these cocoa planta- 

 tions must, in the course of time, be destroyed. 



In good ground, and without accident, every thousand trees will 

 give fifty arrobas of the fruit; but the average is probably not over 

 twenty-five. A tree in good condition, and bearing well, is worth 

 sixteen cents ; the land in which it grows is not counted in the sale. 

 One slave will take care of two thousand trees. The value of the 

 arroba in Para is one dollar. With these data, calculation will make 

 the cultivation of the cocoa, in the neighborhood of Obidos, but a poor 

 business; and, indeed, I heard that most of the cultivators were in debt 



