June 1, 1904.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
809 
is to grow to a height aud maintain a thriving con- 
dition, and in times of drought a deep tap root 
enables the tree to draw on the stores of nudergroaud 
moisture. Failure has been observed to happen 
when the root, after traversing a layer of loam, 
reached a sandy layer affording only a poor supply 
of moisture ; the disease-resisting power of the tree 
was diminished, and it fell a victim to a fungus 
which attacked its bark. The e.xistence of standing 
water at a depth of 2 ft. has also caused the death 
of the tree. Soil extending to a depth of to 
6 ft. is the best ; the presence of stones is immaterial 
provided that they do not exceed 50 per cent, of the 
whole soil, and provided that the tap root does not 
strike against one of them in its descent, the ob- 
struction caused by a large stone would be fatal. On 
this account the spot where a tree is to be planted 
should first be examined with the aid of an iron bar, 
and any stones likely to interfere with the root should 
be removed. Healthy trees will live for 3.5 years 
and more, and it properly treated will be serviceable 
for 20 years. If this preliminary testing is omitted 
the tree may grow luxuriously for four or five years, 
and then fail owing to the root reaching a sandy 
layer or striking on a stone. Thus for a safe system 
of cultivation the preparation of holes for the plants 
is absolutely necessary. 
CARE REQUIRED N PLANTING OUT. 
Owing to the looseness of the Samoan soil, when 
planting cocoa, either as seed or as youug plants, it 
must be well compressed by treading to prevent any 
subsequent sinking in of the soil, which would be 
iojurious to the young plant. Holes should be dug 
about 2 ft. deep, and the subsoil should then be further 
explored with an iron rod of Ij in. to 2 in. thickness. 
In planting out the young trees from the nursery, 
care must be taken that the tap root is not bent or 
cracked. But little care has been bestowed on this 
in Samoa, and thousands of trees can be seen which 
have suSored in consequence, the roots having been 
pressed into the planting hole, and the tap root, 
instead of going straight down, has been bent into 
a curling shape or at right angles. This haa hap- 
pened when the planting has been left to unskilled 
natives with inadequate supervision. Plants thus 
crippled grow well at first, but never make healthy 
trees or reach full age, and they only yield 40 or 50 
per cent, of a full crop. 
CHOICE OP SEED FOR PLANTING. 
The choice of seed for planting is of the greatest 
importance ; the pods selected should not be over- 
ripe, and should not come from too youog trees nor 
from diseased ones. Only seed of the best class and 
free from every fault should be sown. The best 
variety of cocoa bean to plant is one descended 
from the trees imported by the German Trading and 
Planting Company in 1883 and 1.884; it is always 
known in SaLioa as " Criollo," but is quite unlike 
the '' CrioUo " of Trinidad, surpassing it in quality; 
it is also unlike the " Forastero '' cocoa. In fruit, 
nibs and form of tree it mosb nearly resembles the 
cocoa of Guatemala and Colombia ; the beans are 
said to be as good as the best South American, and 
to fetch at Hamburg 50 per cent, more than the best 
cocoa from the Cameroons. Tlie pod is of a dark 
red colour and about 6| in. long and 3j in. thick ; a 
smaller form of pod is of a bright red colour, with 
orange farrows, and is 6. in long and 2;^ in, thick. 
NECESSITY OF PRUNINO. 
As the tree increases in growth pruning is very 
necessary, and suckers should be removed as soon as 
possible. When branching has developed and it is 
possible to see how the young tree is inclined to 
grow, it should be pruned into a proper shape, and 
only three or four main branches should be allowed 
to develop. The best shape for the tree is still a mat- 
ter of opinion, but in any case it should be prevented 
from growing too thickly or too high. 
WIND BELTS AND SHADE TREES. 
Wherever the cocoa is grown in an exposed position, 
trees to keep off the wind are necessary. For thia 
purpose a strip of the original forest may be left, and 
is one of the best protections ; it mast be fairly wide, 
or it will not last : a width of 45 yards should generally 
be sufScient, hut if the land is available 110 yards 
may be kept and rubber trees can be planted in thia 
strip. In the Samoan coast lands shade trees are 
necessary as the dry season often lasts for six months, 
and is very intense; they are probably advisable, too, 
at the higher altitudes. Forest trees should never 
be left standing to act as shade trees, but for thia 
purpose Albizzia stipulata may be planted ; A, moluc- 
cana grows more quickly, it is true, but it is too easily 
broken by the wind, and is apt to grow excessively, 
requiring a liberal removal of its branches. There 
should be from 10 to 20 shade trees per acre, but on 
this point observation should be made in each locality, 
as no fixed rule can be made to meet the varying con- 
ditions of soil and climate. In Trinidad in many 
places it is the custom to have as many shade trees 
as cocoa trees, the trees being planted alternately. 
Quite recently indiarubber trees, especially Hovea 
hrasiliensis, have been recommended for affording 
shade, 
THE SOIL OF THE COCOA FIELDS 
must always be kept clean, that is, round about the 
cocoa tree ; in Samoa the long, dry season is very 
opportUQe for this work, and the expense involved 
is scarcely a third of that in the Cameroons. Clean- 
ing the land must be seen to from the very first, and 
it is most important that the jungle should be com- 
pletely and properly cut down and burnt at the 
right time, avoiding large and^deeply-burnt patches, 
The stems of large trees can be left to moulder away. 
When the ground is cleared the planting can begin, 
and papaya trees which will grow nearly everywhere 
can be used aa the first shade trees. As in the 
cultivation of fruit trees in Germany, the provision 
of well-cleaned land and of shade must be seen to 
for each individual, newly-planted tree. The planter 
must be on the look out for the attacks both of 
animals and of disease, and their causes must be 
discovered ; they are often due to excessive shading, 
deficiency of light or air, or excessive moisture in the 
soil, and frequently can be easily remedied, 
FERMENTING AND DEYINGj 
The best methods of fermenting and drying the 
cocoa, and also the length of time to be allowed for 
the fermentation process are still undecided queations. 
The produce of small plantations is most conve- 
niently treated along with that of other planters, 
aud this makes it advisable to have the same variety 
of cocoa grown by all, as ditferent varieties require 
different treatment in the final preparation. 
MANURES FOE COCOA, 
The question of manuring is a most important 
one ; it is true that in the higher lands where the 
burning of the juugle has afforded a rich supply of 
ashes to the soil, manuring may not be needed at 
first ; but in the lower localities, and especially 
on those fields which have been used recently by 
the natives or reclaimed from jungle of no 
great age, the need for manure requires to be 
considered. The soils of Samoa are remarkably 
rich in nitrogen and phosphorous, and the addition 
of these elements may be set aside as not requiring 
much attention, but the question of supplying lime 
aud potaeh to the soil aud crop has to be carefully 
inquired into. AVhether their application is necessary 
or profitable in a given place can only be determined 
by experiments; the results of soil analyses can 
ouly furnish hints as to the manure to be applied. 
Experiments have already been made by the German 
Trading and Planting Company, aud are again to 
be nndortakcDi 
