JuNB! 2, 1902.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
831 
in the colony, being anxious to Icnow why there 
was so nmch waste of plant energy and to find 
a remedy. 1 send herewith four sets of answers 
and also the list of questions put. 
>lo. 1 is a Manager in Tobago, a neighbouring 
island, ffimous for the richness of its soil, and lliat 
may account partly for tlie smali percentage 
given in answer 2. 
I regret to notice so little reciprocity between 
those who live on the estates and those who work 
from a scientific point of view for the benefit 
of the former class. Hoping I am not intruding 
on your valuable space. — I remain, yours faith- 
full'y, W. L, (CLiRATOK.) 
CACAO. 
1. What difference is there between Cacao Trees 
(a) under dense shade; (b) under normal shade 
c) ander no shade ? 
And how is the crop, the number of flowers, the 
growth, and tl»e amount of disease— especially the 
drying up of young pods — affacted by tlie above con- 
ditions ? 
S, About how many per cent of young pods wither 
or dry up on healthy full-bearing trees ? 
3. Is there a distinct difference in such percentage 
from trees on poor soil and those on rich soil '? 
4. Do young pods usually dry up in bunches, i.e. 
all on one cushion ? 
5. Do all young pods except one or two sometimes 
dry up on one cushion and those remaining become 
good mature pods ? 
6. Where only one, two or three young pods ap- 
pear on one cushion, do these usually develop into 
good pods '? 
7. Are some parts of the tree more subject i;o 
, pods drying up than other parts ? 
8. In what way is the drying up of young pods 
affected by the weather ? And is there more drying 
up of young pods in or just after an abnormally wet 
season or an abnormally dry one ? 
i\NSWl<:RS TO QUK.STIONS O.V CACAO. 
1. — (a) — Under dense shade pods rot from too 
much moisture ; (h) under normal shade the largest 
percentage come to perfection ; (c) under no shade — 
except in sheltered valleys — pods wither and dry up. 
2. — About 12 per cent of pods dry up. 
3. — Decidedly in favour of rich soil. 
4. — No. 
5. — If carefully thinned, those remaining come to 
maturity. 
6. — Yes, and this is what is most desired by the 
cacao planter. 
7. — Yes, trees not pruned early into shape will bear 
those pods on the superfluous branches. 
8. — Pods do not dry up in ordinary weather, but a 
heavy downfall of rain has a destructive effect on 
flowering trees, and very youug pods. Under the 
most favourable situation and cultivation, those dry 
pods will be seen. 
The answers tto these questions depend largely on 
climate, soil, and district or situation. 
1. — (a) — Cacao trees under dense shade generally 
grow to be long and thin, and they are more likely 
than otherwise to be affected by disease. Daring wet 
weather lots of flowers come out and pods form, but 
they get rotten and wither, (h) Under normal shade, 
such as Immortal trees at 36 feet apart on the Vegi., 
the trees are in their glory, they will gi'ow uniform and 
healthy, (b) They will give their full crop of 15 fanegas 
(average) per tlionsand according to season, (c) Under 
no shade, the crop is praofcically nothing during a 
dry year. During the wet months the trees throw 
out promising young shoots, but during the dry mouths 
these seem to burn and dry up. 
2. — Fully 95 per cent wither. When it is taken into 
account that even on estates yielding 10 bags (of 1G5 
b each) per thousand trees, the average yield per 
tree is 20 to 22 good pods, it is plain that an enor- 
mous number must wither. 
3. — Little difference, because trees on poor soil 
throw out fewers flowers than those on rich soil. 
4. 5 and 6. One, two, three or more pods often 
come to maturity on one cushion, which originally 
had many more young pods, which withered before 
maturing. In many instances, however, all the young 
pods on a cushion will dry up. 
7. Given a heaithy tree, properly pruned, there is 
no part of thai tree more subject to pods drying than 
other parts. 
8. A prolonged season of drought after a season of 
rain causes a very large percentage of young pods to 
dry up. Also if after dry weather we experience heavy 
and continued rains, the youug pods seem to become, 
as we say, "seized" and rotten. On the flats or low- 
lands more pods wither after an abnormally wet 
season than after dry one, but in the hilly and 
undulating districts many more wither after an 
abnormally dry season than after a wet one. 
1. (a) Slow growth ; very small crop ; nearly all 
flowers and young pods die; few flowers; disease 
frequent. (/)) Quick growth ; crop large and regular 
as a rule ; flowers plentiful ; disease not frequent, (c) 
Slow growth ; very small crop ; few flowers ; flowers 
and young pods destroyed by exposure ; disease not 
frequent. 
2. About 80 per cent. 
3- The percoutage must be much the same, as trees 
on poor soil have proportionately fewer young pods. 
4'. Yes. 
5. Yes. 
0. Yes. 
7. I do not think so. 
8 The drying up of young pods is equally affected 
by excess of damp or heat and also by high winds, 
but if the land is hilly i!; is not affected to any great 
extent hy either excess. 
1. (a) Trees appear healthy, but develop very little 
fruit, (i) Trees put out more blossom and develop a 
higher'percentage of fruit, ic) Under no shade, or on 
poor dry soil, it would bo impossible to grow a tree 
to bear fruit ; on good soil in deep gullies or ravines 
a fair crop could be obtained without shade. 
2. At least 25 to per cent. 
3. Percentage higher on poor soil. 
4. No, the weakest ones throughout the trees dry up. 
5. Yes. 
6. Yes. 
7. The lower parts of old trees and the upper parts 
of young ones. 
8. Both extremes favour the drying up of young 
pods. As alternate showens and sunshine seem to be 
most favourable I prefer very wet weather to very 
dry, for iu the latter, not only do young pods dry up, 
but those approaching maturity fail. to ripen properly. 
TEA IN THE UNITED STATES : WILD 
SFEUULATIOIV, 
Fairfield, Lindula, April 15. 
Dear Sir, — I think the enclosed cutting 
from .an .American paper will amuse some of 
your readers. Who can Harold Weddle be ? 
The Dr. Shepard mentioned must he a ven/ 
.SMiiguiiie man — in addition to being " an 
enthusiast and benefactefr." 
Of coarse, we poor planters have not the 
advantage of possessing " Dragon's food " jat 
tea ; btit many of us own China tea of similar 
sorts and we will kindly supply the wortliy 
Doctor with an imlimited amount of seed from 
the same and will l.ihel it "Dragon's food " or 
anything else ; or I fancy he could save 
himself the trouble of o^ennig hind in Caro- 
lina by purchasing the source of wealth £t.s 
