CACAO OE COCOA. 



25 



It is but too true that the markets are at present lamentably against the most 

 important branch of our industry, under the present manner of sugar cultiva- 

 tion and manufacture in this island. But it can hardly be admitted that the 

 same is the case in that of cacao — also a very important branch of our agri- 

 culture. 



My attention has been lately directed to the average produce per tree, which 

 will, I hope, throw some light on its cultivation. From fifteen cacao trees, 

 which are all there are at St. Ann's, I have this year gathered 115 lbs. of cacoa 

 (dried), and at present there is at least 50 lbs. more ripe on the same trees. This 

 gives 165 lbs. of cacao from fifteen trees, or 11 lbs. per tree. These cannot be 

 considered fine trees ; on the contrary, they are what would be considered or- 

 dinary ones ; therefore the average in this case is fair, and differs materially 

 from selecting the produce of fifteen trees from a large plantation, and giving 

 the average return of what might be obtained from cacao cultivation. Last 

 year these trees did not average more than 2 lbs. per tree, and I attribute the 

 increase of crop to the thinning out of both the cacao and shade trees. 



In a former letter to the cacao-planters of Trinidad, I recommended twenty- 

 four to thirty feet fi'om tree to tree as the proper distance ; but so as to meet 

 the feelings of those who, imfortunately for themselves, consider every cacao 

 tree cut down a sacrifice, I propose that the trees be thinned out to twenty-four 

 feet, and that, at intervals of twenty rows at most, avenues of fifty feet in both 

 directions should be left. After this, it will be better seen what may be neces- 

 sary to be done to each individual tree ; neither should the shade trees be for- 

 gotten ; as a general rule, they are prejiulicially thick. 



By attending to this, I am quite satisfied that a very material increase in the 

 produce will be seen ; indeed, I may say that on this depends the chief differ- 

 ence of l.f lb. and 11 lbs. per tree ; for I consider it a very fair inference, that 

 the average obtained here can be realised in any other place in this island, and 

 to any extent, under the same circumstances of light and air, unless on very 

 poor soil, of which we fortunately have but little. 



At twenty-four feet apait there would be seventy-five trees per acre, or 250 

 per quarree. This, at 11 lbs. per tree, gives 2,750 lbs. of dried cacao per quarree, 

 at 5 dollars per 100 lbs., gives 137 dollars 50 cents gross ; deducting 80 dollars 

 per quarree expenses, leaves 57 dollars 50 cents net profit. Thus an estate of 

 120 acres, or 36 quarrees, would contain 9,000 trees, at 11 lbs. per tree wiU give 

 33,000 lbs. of cacao, at 5 dollars gives 4,350 doUars gross per annum; deducting 

 80 dollars per quarree (a much more liberal sum than is at present laid out), 

 leaves a net balance of 1,950 dollars, or 16 dollars 25 cents per acie. 



Now this, it must be remembered, would be the produce from 9,000 trees, 

 and from an estate containing only 36 quarrees of land (which cannot be con- 

 sidered a large one) ; what, then, might be expected from estates containing 

 40,000 trees ? 



I have been recently favoured with the following average return of cacao in 

 this island, which I have no doubt will be considered a fair one. I insert it in 

 full, and, from the very low return, it shows a lamentable deficiency in the cul- 

 tivation of this most grateful tree : — 



' The average number of cacoa trees in a quarree of land is 868. 



' 1st. The estates throughout the island are generally planted at a distance of 

 12 feet by 12, and 13^ feet by 13^ Those planted at 12 by 12 contain 969 trees 

 in the quaiTee, and those at 13| by 13| contain 767 trees, the area of the quarree 

 being taken at 139,697 superficial feet. There may be in the island about 60 

 quarrees in all, planted at 15 by 15 feet. 



' 2nd. The actual annual value of a quarree of land planted in cacoa is ten 

 fanegas, or 1^ lb. to a tree. 



' It is to be observed that this is the general return from each tree as estates 

 are now cultivated, but if planters had the means of keeping their estates in 

 high cultivation, each cacoa tree would produce 2 lbs. on an average. 



' 3i-d. The annual average cost of cultivating a quarree in cacao, and manu- 

 facturing the produce therefrom, is 35 dollars, in the imperfect manner it is 

 carried on at present, thereby giving only 10 fanegas per quarree.' 



I believe there are many estates in the island where the average distance is 



