Sept. 1, 1898.] THE TEOPICAL AGEICULTUEIST. 
195 
CACAO CULTIYATION: ME. COCHRAK'S 
A1VALYSE8 AND REPORT. 
To the Editor of the " Ceylon Observer." 
Kandy, 29th July 1898. 
Sir,— I enclose for publication copy of Mr. M. 
Cochran's report to the Planters' Association of 
his agricultural analysis of the cacao tree. — I 
am, sir, yours faithfully, A. PHILIP. 
Secretary to the Planters' Association of Ceylon. 
City Analyst's Office, Col. mbo, 9th July, 1898. 
The Secretary, Ceylon Planters' Associalion, Kandy. 
Sir, — I havG now the p'easui e to hand you the results 
of my agricultural analysis of tbo Cacao tree, samples 
of which were sent to mo by Mr. H. de Sanctis of Path- 
ragalla Estate on behalf of the Planters' Association. 
At the request of Mr. de Sauctis, I h ave added 
to the analyses some deductions therefrom with refer- 
eiiC'i to the mauiirinn- of tlia CaciO 1ree, suggesting pro- 
portions in which fertili-iir^ may be advantageously ap- 
plied. Thes", pi:intpr^ will be able to modify according 
to the special ccnditions of th^ir es'atrs as regards 
shade frees, in the direction indicated by the Chemical 
and Botanical authorites of British Guiana, i e., re- 
ducing nitrogenous manure and increasing the amounts 
of Potash and Phosphates, as tlie development of the 
shade tree? may render advisable. 
I trust tbia investigatii-n may be of some service to 
memb rs of the Association. I am, tir,. your obedient 
servant, M. COCHRAN, Citi/ Analyst. 
ANALYST'S EEPORT. 
Agricultural Analysis oj the Theobroma Cacao 
TREEj — VAEIETY '' FORESTERO." 
City Analyst's Office, Colombo, 9tb July, 1898. 
The following analysis shows the composition of ti e 
Cacao tree, only so far as is required to assist the 
agriculturist in the cultivation cf the tree. Tne tree 
snalysed was grown on Pathragalla estate, near Potuhera, 
and the samples were forwarded to mo by Mr. H. de 
Sa,notis, who made what may be t eric el the phy-ioal 
analysis of the tree on the estate. As some of my 
calculations aro based upon the data supplied by Mr. 
de Sinctis, I shall quote from hia letter of 28th 
April, advising me of the dospatcli of the samples. 
He wrote as follows: "I am sending you by rsil 
to-day two bag^ containing : — 
"6 lbs. Stem and primary branch ... (one analysis) 
"6 ,, Leaf and twigs ... ... (one „ ) 
"6 ,, Roots, large and smsll ... (one ., ) 
"6 „ Pod-husk-' ... ...(one „ ) 
"3 ,, Merchantable unsized Cccca (one ) 
"for analysis, (five in alL) 
" The proportions are as foPows :— 
" Stem and primary branches 68fc lb?. 
"Smaller branches 18" ,, 
" Leaves 27 „ 
" Roots, large end small 171 „ 
131 lbs. 
"Piopovfou of root is probably not quite correct, as 
some ot the smaller root=i must have remained in 
the ground. For each lOD lbs. dry seeds packed, 126 lb.', 
of dry Cacao pods are thrown away." 
Mr. fio S-anctis likowi'e, weighed the parts after 
being dried in the sun in the condition in which the 
Sitmpl !s wtrc despatchc l. By the lime, however, that 
1 was a' lo to put the famploi* in hand, the stem, 
primary bramh and roots had lost vciy considerably 
)U weight by further dryago. 
Kopicsf ntativo portioni cf the famples were 
thoroDghly desiccate 1 »t F. of temperature, and 
all the tubseqiieut calculations expresses in terms o| 
tijo petfect'.y dry watter. 
The physical analysis of the iree, in terais of dry 
matter, was as fo'lows: — 
lbs. per cent. 
Eoot ... ... ... 6011 13-2 
Stem and primary I ranch ... 22-854 50-2 
Leaves and fmalh.r branches 16'663 
.36-6 
45-028 100-0 
Tha following is the agricultural-chemical analysis 
of the difTerenb par's of the tree in the dry states: — 
Table A. 
Acricultural-Chemical Amlysis of the different 
parts of the Cacao-tree, in tLe Dry State. 
a S « =^ o a, 
!U ._ no, a 
" & ^ S . " 
^ ^.a sis - 
-- • n 
W -Q 
W 1/3 /a W -Q CO 
*Organx Matter 91-036 94-91 86-523 96-514 
tAsh ... 8-914 5-09 13-477 3-486 
•-3 
o 
p-( 
89-9 
10-1 
lOO-OOO 100-00 100 000 100-000 100-0 
■610 '554 1-453 2-307 1-401 
•720 -0-29 3'818 0-82 '245 
2-010 1-492 3-463 •287 -876 
•787 -504 -748 -585 ^699 
2-468 1-489 2581 1-275 4-991 
-263 -216 -449 1-074 
-447 
'Containing 
Nitrogen 
fCoritaining 
Sand & Silica 
Lime 
Magnesia ... 
Potash 
Phosphoric 
Acid 
Other corsti- 
luents ... 2-031 1 300 2'435 •233 2-842 
The perc ntage cf ash in each case was the percen'age 
of residue ob'.ained by incinerating th<f substance, after 
deducting the proportion of unburned Carbon, but 
without recarbonating any of tbe alkaline earth that 
may have been rendered caustic by the heat of iccinera- 
tion. In tbe next table I give the pero nta^e compon- 
tion of the ash as thus defined. 
Table B. 
Percentage C mposition cf the Ash of the differe '.t 
parts of the Cacao-tree. 
Silica and Sand 
Lime 
Magnesia 
Potash 
Pbosphcric 
Acid 
Other Const:, 
tuents ,.. 
8'07 
2-2-89 
8-83 
27-68 
Oh O 
173 Cl 
a- 
o 
m 
.562 
29-317 
9-910 
29-257 
6 S 
=3 2 
> ^ 
CD 
28-29 
25-62 
5-54 
19-15 
M 
2-35 
6-80 
16-77 
36-53 
2 43 
5- 67 
6- 92 
49-41 
3-01 4237 3-33 30-80 4-43 
29-52 26-717 lS-07 6^72 23-14 
100-00 ICO-OOO 100-00 100 00 100-00 
The Rsh of all parts of the tree is pn-ticularly rich 
in Potash ; while, in the case of the pod-husks, practi- 
cally one-half of the -.sh is Potash. Thp ash of tbo 
rod-hiisks is thus about as rich in Potash as is the 
Salt Sulphate of Poiashim-porte-l for mannrial purpose^. _ 
V/ben compared with the -wood ashes produce 1 on 
Estates from jungle woot^s, the av.'ihes of all parts of 
the Cacao tree are relatively rich in Phosphoric acid, 
while, in the ash of the Cacao seeds, there is nearly 
onetbir l more Phosphoric acid tiiaii there is in bore 
meal. My results, as regards the Phosphoric acid 
in the ash of the seed?, arc, moreover, lowir than those 
obtait;ed by some other analysts for ditVere jt varie'iea 
of Cacao seeds. I any state that I did not n-akea 
selection of tbe best "geed?, but tooktl-e flatter one.s, 
veil as thof^ thatvjm filled out, for th? acalj-sis. 
