124 
TIIK  TROPIC  r\L 
AGRICUL'rURlS  l\ 
[Aug.  I,  1896. 
vidtnuiaa  furnish  the  celebrated  African  palm  oil, 
the  ripe  fruit  being  crushed  and  boiled,  the  oil 
skimmed  and  strained.  Coconuts  we  may  pass  over, 
for  though  the  palm  will  grow',  the  fruit  seldom  attains 
maturity  when  removed  far  inland ; the  heart  wood 
is,  however,  of  value,  so  that  it  land  is  available  .a 
few  hundred  nuts  may  be  put  down  in  ont-of-the 
way  places.  A kind  of  wax  oozes  from  the  lower 
surface  of  the  leaves  ol  the  Copcniicia  ceri/era,  also 
from  the  trunk  and  between  the  leaves  of  Ciu-o.njlon 
andicola.  The  fruits  of  Canjota  saqiieruH  when 
soaked  in  lime  water  lose  their  acridity  and  can  then 
be  made  into  a very  palatable  preserve.  vhmt 
orclacea  is  the  Indian  cabbage  ]iahn,  the  buds 
being  steamed  (not  boiled),  forming  a jileasant 
substitute  for  the  ^■cgctilble  whence  it  derives  its 
name.  This  plant  is  indigenous  along  the  hills  over- 
looking the  Sylliet  plains  and  ma}'  readily  be  dis- 
tinguished in  the  jungle  by  the  silvery  appearance  of 
the  underside  of  the  leaf.  Jlurassus  jlaheUifonuis 
gives  the  handsome  Palmyra  w’ood.  Coquilla 
nuts  much  in  request  among  wood  turners,  arc  the 
produce  of  AHalea  funl/era  and  vegetable  ivory 
is  yielded  by  the  Phi/talephun  macfocarpa.  Calauiv.n 
ihtico  is  a plant  from  which  dragons  blood  is  ob- 
taiued.  Space  will  not  admit  of  our  going  seriatim 
through  the  whole  list  of  palms,  so  we  have  contented 
ourselves  with  indicating  those  suitable  for  cultiva- 
tion in  Assam,  and  of  the  greatest  commercial  im- 
portance, giving  the  botanical  names,  so  that  import- 
ers of  exotics  in  England  may  know  what  is  required. 
The  majority,  however,  of  these  palms  arc  obtainable 
within  the  country,  some  indigenous  in  the  un- 
jhumed  jungles,  others  are  probably  to  be  had  from 
one  or  other  of  the  botanical  gaidens.  If  the  Agri- 
cultural Department  was  kept  up  to  the  collar,  an 
economic  idantation,  similar  to  those  which  all  civi- 
lised Gevernments  possess,  would  he  established, 
from  which  plants  and  seeds  could  be  distributed 
much  to  the  benelP.  of  all  agriculturists  in  the  country, 
ultimately  enhancing  the  revenue. — Indian  rianters’ 
Gazette,  June  27. 
CUl/nVATlUN  OF  CACAO  IN  MFXKX). 
An  intcrcKting  rep.ort  has  been  issued  by  the 
Poreigii-oflicc  on  the  cultivation  of  cacao,  vanilla, 
india-rubber,  indigo,  and  bananas,  in  Mexico,  ail  of 
these  crops  flourishing  in  the  warmer  lands  of  the 
republic.  lUr.  (now  foir  Hemy  Ncvill)  Dering,  Her 
Majesty's  Minister  at  Mexico,  who  supplies  this  report 
— which  is  based  on  articles  published  from  time 
to  time  by  the  Mexican  Infoimation  Pmreaii — states 
that  he  has  been  induced  to  forward  it  as  ho  is  of 
opinion  that  the  information  lespecting  the  cost  of 
cultivation,  the  district  in  which  each  crop  may  be 
advantageously  raised,  as  well  as  a statement  of  the 
pecuniary  results  to  bo  obtained  with  proper  care, 
may  bo  valuable  to  many  persons  with  small  capital 
—say  ,t;T,000  to  T2, 000— who  may  be  desirous  of  in- 
vesting tlie  same  in  a country  offering  exceptional  ad- 
vantage.=.  He  also  adds  that  the  necessary  dwelling- 
houses,  or  simple  ranthe,  for  personal  occupation 
on  a plot  of  ground  purchased  for  the  growth  of  any 
of  the  above  crops,  may  be  set  up  at  an  exjiense 
considerably  less  than  the  cost  of  an  ordinary  la- 
bourer’s cottage  in  England.  The  cacao  tree  is  a 
native  of  Mexico,  and,  long  before  the  conquest,  the 
Aztecs  and  other  ancient  Mexican  tribes  used  the 
fruit  as  one  of  their  alimentaiy  beverages.  They  pre- 
pared a drink  called  “ choeolutl  ” by  mixing  the 
seeds,  after  having  crushed  them  togetlier,  with  line 
torn  meal,  vanilla  (“  tlilxochitl  ’’)  and  a species  of 
spice  called  “ mecaxochitl,”  and  those  who  drank  it 
were  a picture  of  health.  All  nations  subjugated 
under  the  Aztec  Eagle  had  to  bring  among  other 
valuables  a certain  number  of  bags  of  cacao  to  the 
palace  in  the  great  Tenochtitla  as  an  annual  tribute 
to  the  Emperor.  It  was  so  highly  prized  amongst  the 
ancient  natives  that  in  trade  it  w'as  utilised  as  cm- 
rency  among  the  lower  classes.  The  varieties  culti- 
vated were  the  “ quanhcab'iatl,”  ‘‘  mecacabuatl,” 
“ zochicucaliuatl,”  E.nd  “ tlacacahuutl.”  The  bean  of 
tiic  last  one  was  very  siiiiil!,  analogous  to  the  Kind 
iouud  at  iJitiieiit  at  iiocomisco,  Chiapas.  The  tree  is 
found  growing  wild  and  in  cultivation  in  the  States 
of  Colima,  Michoacan,  Gruerrero,  Oaxaca,  Chiapas, 
Tabasco,  and  central  and  southern  Vera  Cruz,  w'here 
the  elevation  is  from  100  to  1,200  feet  above  sea 
level,  hut  Chiapas  and  Tabasco  are  noted  as  being 
its  home,  the  climate  and  soil  there  being  more 
particnlnrly  adapted  to  its  culture  and  development 
than  any  other  portion  of  the  globe.  The  species 
of  cacao  tree  most  cultivated  in  Mexico  are — Cacao 
or  Tlieohrotiia  ovoUfolia  T.  hicolor,  T.  aufiuitifolia. 
There  arc  other  Idnds  known,  generally  found  grorv- 
ing  wild,  whicli  come  under  the  head  of  the  Guazumseo 
or  guacima,  Guuzuma  pelyhotrya  being  the  princi- 
pal species.  A warm,  moist  climate,  having  a mean 
temperature  between  70°  and  77°  PMhrenheit  is 
necessary  for  the  cultivation  of  cacao  if  large  crops 
are  expected,  hut  when  the  soil  is  suitable  the  tree 
will  grow  and  yield  fair  returns  on  a moderately 
dry  or  well  drained  place.  The  best  elevation  is 
from  ;!00  to  .500  feet,  and  in  sheltered  situations  near 
the  seashore  good  crops  are  to  be  obtained,  but  the 
tree  will  not  thrive  if  exposed  to  the  direct  influence 
of  the  sea  breeze.  Cacao  will  not  bear  much  ex- 
posure, hence  sheltered  lands  a,nd  valleys  should  be 
selected,  and  on  the  Gulf  side  of  Chiapas,  Tabasco, 
and  Vera  Gniz  northern  and  eastern  aspects  should 
be  avoided.  Cacao  plants  arc  obtained  from  the  seed, 
which  germinates  readily  and  quickly,  and  the  seed, 
when  sown,  is  covered  with  vegetable  mould  or  loose 
loam  mixed  with  horse  manure,  and  over  that  banana 
leaves.  The  bed  is  sprinkled  every  day  for  12  or  15 
days  when  seedlings  appear.  Then  the  banana  leaves 
are  removed,  and  sheds  made  of  palm  leaves  and 
stick's  so  fixed  that  they  can  be  raised  as  the  seedl- 
ing grow?,  should  be  placed  over  the  nursery  as 
shade  and  shelter  A year  .after  sowing,  seedlings 
are  about  20  inche.s  high,  and  I'cady  for  transplant- 
ing. Returns  from  a cacao  plantation  cannot  be  ex- 
pected until  five  year's  from  transirlanting.  At  two 
years  old  the  tree,  on  rich  soil,  stands  5 or  6 feet 
h'gh  ; when  7 or  8 foot  high  it  begins  to  bear,  but 
it  is  not  in  full  bearing  until  it  is  between  10  and 
12  feet  high.  The  average  yield  of  dry  cacao  from 
each  tree  varies  very  much  ; the  limits  may  be  said 
to  be  from  li  to  8 lb.  ]ier  tree.  Some  trees  in  the 
plant  ition  of  ‘Hjx  Carolina,”  district,  of  Macuspana, 
in  Tabasco  produce  220  pods  and  plantations  in 
Alvarez,  Colima,  and  in  Apalziughan,  Michoacan  yield 
on  an  average  5 lb.  to  the  tree.  The  pods  having 
been  gathered,  arc  placed  in  heaps  under  the  trees  ; 
they  arc  then  taken  to  a place,  called  (luebradero, 
where  tlicy  may  be  broken  at  once  or  left  for  a day. 
'J'he  kcruclu  or  nibs  are  then  taken  out  of  the  pods 
which  either  opened  with  a m-achetc,  or  a knife 
made  from  a wood  called  .lahuate.  As  the  seeds 
are  extracted  from  the  pods,  the  former  are  thrown 
into  wooden  troughs  called  “ tollas,”  half  filled  with 
wa'cr,  lo  wash  them,  and  ihe  beans  arc  then  carried 
away  to  the  cocoa  house  for  the  sweating  or  fer- 
mentation process.  When  the  beans  have  been  pro- 
perly sweated,  they  are  dried  ready  for  shipment, 
and  tliis  drying  process  is  complete  as  soon  as  they 
produce  a craclding  sensation  when  pressed  between 
the  tlmmb  and  forefinger  or  when  the  parchment 
(outer  skin)  breaks  off  easily.  As  to  cost  and  expense, 
generally,  cacao  planters  in  Chiapas  and  Tabasco 
make  contracts,  paying  90  to  100  dollars  (Mexican 
dollar  may  be  taken  as  equivalent  to  2s  2d.)  per  1.000 
trees,  to  be  delivered  in  a state  of  ijroduction  in 
four  years,  the  plantation  to  bo  in  good  condition 
and  witli  proper  shade.  The  contractor  keeps  the 
products  and  first  crop  of  the  plantation.  If  the 
lilanter  has  his  own  labourers,  be  pays  them  from 
five  to  eight  dollars  per  month  and  rations,  then 
the  cost  will  be  from  70  to  80  dollars  per  1,0'k)  trees. 
When  the  labour  is  not  done  by  contract  but  by 
“jornales”  or  tasks,  the  cost  for  six  years  per 
hectare  (2'17  acres)  is  191  dollars  for  750  trees.  The 
expense  of  collecting,  drying,  and  sacking  the  seed 
is  from  three  to  five  dollars  per  cargo  of  (10  lb. 
Thus  7.50  trees  will  produce  the  ))lanter  75  cargooa 
( 1,. 5000  lb.),  the  price  of  which  is  from  20  to  22 
dollars  ]hu'  cargo  at  the  ])lautation.  Deducting  the 
cost  of  curing,  he  will  have  a net  annual  profit  of  more 
f han  1,225  dollars,  bci  idos  the  produce  obtained,  from 
side  ciopH.—Jaunwl  of  the  Society  of  .irfs,  June  19, 
