4o8 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Dec. i, li^i- 
hntitia to the Oompoiitta known as " Carnsso,' pro- 
bably a Clihadiuni. Tbe aecondary Bh»de tree is known 
ae the " Quelita," snd is a Jatropha near to Jalroiiha 
muUiMa. PlantainB are alao uaod as iDtermedialo 
Bhade, but are generally removed early, ihey »re, 
howev.r, largely need for 8b»diDg nuraeriee, and are 
thickly planted »long rcadi-ides. Tie fruit is add at 
the rate of 15 plantains for 5 cents NicaragQ«n money, 
abcut equal to 3 cents-" gold." The pUnting of the 
cacao and shade trees is extremely well done, the lines 
are kept bflautifoUy straight, and the trees are not uq 
inch out of line in any direction. 
We are rather puzzled to understand how 
mango treea which are allowed to grow to a 
height of " Axtij" feet can be kept trimmed so 
as to form a thick soreen without gaps? It looka 
as if this were a misprint for " six feet," more 
eBpeoially when it is added, that the seeds are 
sown thickly together to profluoe theee hedges. 
Harresting or picking and breaking (not cutting) 
the pods are carried on after a primitive fashion 
in Nicaragua ; but of the result Mr. Hart reports 
as follows : — 
On 48 hours' fermen»»tioQ the white-coloured bean 
ohangea into the beautiful cinnamon-brown so much 
priaed by the chocolate manafactnrers, and presents 
in appearance and " break " identical with the best 
fctraius of Oeylon oaoao, but with beans more tbaa 
double the size of the C.yloii growth. If more time 
for fermentation is afforded, it reenlts in giving a 
dirker colour to the interior, and the ontnide 
of the bean ia rendered almost bUck aud the 
Bubstance of the bean itself loses flavour and aroma. 
Nicaraguan cac40 does not contain nearly as naaoU 
fat as the Trinidad eamplea, but from perfcooal obier- 
vation it ia at the ssme lime possessed of an aroma 
and flavour which is at least equal to. if not superior 
to the best Trinidad marks. The Nicaraguan uses a 
large quantity of cacao for the preparation of " tef'te. 
This ia a drink made of ground roast corn or " Majs, 
mixed with the chocolate into a kind of gruel or pap, 
which is very nourishing and wholesome food. This 
is a universal drink for the early morning, but it is 
•lao taken at other times during the day. 
A description iB given of several new varietiea, 
and more eepecially of the Alligator cacao of 
Nicaragua, a taller and more vigorous tree and better 
cropper than the ordinary kinds. Attributing 
great importance to the interchange of seed 
between one country and another, Mr. Hart 
brought back a good supply of four diflertnt vana- 
ties to Trinidad. He shows how even in Nicaragua 
the yield per tree has fallen off in 30 yeare, and 
how it improved again when new seed was 
utilised. To this fact the Trinidad, as well as 
South American planters seem now fully alive, for 
we read further: — 
BaroQ Eggers, the Danish Botanist la now on a 
misaion to South American Bepublios, in which the 
cacao interest plays a most important part, and 
Robert Thompson, Esq., fcrmerly of the Botanical 
Department Jamaica, has recently procu ed seed in 
quantity from Trioidad for the Columbian interior, 
personally assuring me that Trinidad cacao Jticceeds 
better there than the native varieties; which be 
reported as being weak, liable to disease, and grad- 
ually dying out ; and Trinidad herself must not be 
behind if she desires to maintain her proud position 
in the world's matketp. These statements show 
that the natural result to be obtained irom imported 
seed is that as a rule pUnts obtained from it are 
decidedly more vigor jus and healthy ; and when the 
{election of the varieties is good, it is quite probable 
that the quality of the produce will also be improved. 
The cacao of Nicaragua is of a high class, rich in 
colour and aroma, a magnificent bean and altogether 
of a cUss likely to improve under Tricid id culture, 
•nd if it can be shown that under culture the colour 
and size of the bean can be maintained, there is 
little doubt that it will mafeiially improve the quality 
of ovit cacao export in future years. 
It is perhaps too soon in the ezperienee 
of cacao planting in Oeylon to apeak of 
a change of seed. Dr. Trimen baa very 
clearly defined the varieties of "cacao" in hie 
annual Beporta from time to time, and «e koo* 
from him that our " Old Red " scarcely varies 
at all ; while any number of varieties of the 
" Forastero " can be made to fancy. These came 
to us indejd from Trioidad undtr half a-dosen 
names obvioualy applied in a quite haphsEard 
way and thia ia very much the experience in Irini 
dad itself. As a guide soieotifieally or even to 
the Agrioulturibt, theee names are wellnigb worth- 
leas. It might be well, however, for intending 
planters of cacao to endeavour to get epeoimerb 
of what Mr. Hart calls the "best Nicaraguan 
variety white seeded," and of the " Alligator " 
variety. 
COFFEE, NUTMEGS, RUBBER AND. &UADE 
PLANTING IN NICARAGUA. 
In the coaree of bis Report on Cacao, Mr. Hart 
incidentally refera to other products and we 
quote the more interesting paraf^rapha, Tbecoflte 
industry in Nicaragua, so far as we can learn, ia 
represented by a planted area of from 80,000 to 
100,000 acres, the annual sbipmentB being between 
100,000 cwt. and StO.OOO cwt. :— 
Splendid coffre is grown in Nicaragua, cspeci«lly 
in the district of Diriamba, one property alone (hip- 
ping ae much as 4,OC0 quintals of 100 lb. each per 
annum. This c( £Fee is all shipped in the parchment 
and cleaned in London. The prices obtained f<r it are 
nearly on a par with those obtained for the celebrated 
Blue Mountain coffee or Jamaica. 
A small consignment of nutmeg plants was carried 
to Nicaragua with the caoao, arid stcod the voyage 
without the loss of a tingle (lant, although crowded 
togettier in the original seed buz to save freight. 
These appear to be the iiret nutmegs imported into 
the country, as little was known cf the tree or ita 
cultivation. A considerable order for seeds has Hnce 
been received. 
Casti/loa dastica. Cat., is a common wayaide plant 
in Nicaragoa, but it is always found under shade of 
other trees. It ia being planted somewhat largely (or 
lubber-prcdocing purpoEea, but always ititb the pro- 
teotii g shade of large tteea, and in areas proved to 
be uneoited to the growth ot cacao by actual ex- 
periment. 
I observed that a trial was being made of plar.tiog 
cacao under tte (hade of the original fcrest, thinned 
out to a suitable density ; but on enqoiiy I found the 
proprietor bad not mucb faith in the experiment, and 
the look of tlie yonng plants fally justified his doubts, 
I was toldj however, by a large and succeidful coffee 
planter that having tried the system of felling and 
clearing and burning all materials and alto that of 
planting onUer natural shade, with simply the leaser 
number of treea removed; he was bound to concede 
the advantage to the latter, although his own in- 
clinations led him comewhal to regret the conclusion, 
as he considered fellicg and clearing to be a much 
meater and cleaner method ot planting, both for 
coSee or &ny other crop. 
Cetlon Planiikg. — We learn that Mr. James 
Hill, one of the Proprietors of the well-kno«u 
Kodanaad Tea Estate, has just leturnEd from his 
Ciylon trip. He is staying just now with aome 
friends at Nanduwattum, but will reiurn to Ooty in 
a day or two. We hear that he is very full of what 
he has seen and heard of the Ceylon methcds and 
means to try some of them up here. — South of India 
Observer, No?. 18, 
