THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
458 
Bystematic way, and in consequence they have no 
rivals in Nicaragua, and no superiors anywhere — 
that is, as regards the quality of their product. The 
careless, unstudied methods of the native haciendados 
are scorned at ‘ Valle Menier,’ where the very best 
machinery available is in use, and nothing spared 
in order to attain perfection. 
Of course tlie earthquakes, of which Granada seemed 
to be the centre, were felt in the valley which the 
Brothers Menier have made so productive, and there 
was great excitement duiing my stay ; still, I saw 
enough to convince me that a cacao plantation, care- 
fully and systematically managed, is a very profit- 
able investment. And this I think I shall be able 
to show. 
Theohroma Cacao is a tree of moderate size, 
averaging when in a wild state from twenty to 
thirty feet in height. Its deep green oblong 
leaves vary in length from eight to twelve inches, 
and are generally about three inches broad. The 
light red or pale yellow flowers, growing in tufts 
at the extremity of the branches, are small. On 
these falling, the gourd or lemon-shaped pod 
appears. It is about eight inches long by three in 
diameter, and has a thick, tough rind, light green 
at first, then pale red, and eventually reddish 
purple. The pod contains from thirty to forty 
seeds, closely packed in white pulp. These seeds 
after being fermented, rubbed, and cured, consti- 
tute cocoa ; if they are merely broken up, they 
are known as cocoa nibs. The soluble cocoa 
familiar to all is composed of the seeds or beans 
finely ground and mixed with starch. Chocolate 
is the same thing, but made up into a paste and 
flavouied. 
There are many varieties of the cacao tree. 
The Tobasco cacao of the Atlantic slopes of 
Central Ameria, and the famous Socunusco cacao 
of the Pacific shore are obtained from Theohroma 
amjustifolia. This is supposed to be the best cacao 
known, and very little of it finds its way to 
foreign markets. In addition to Mexico, Central 
America, and many of the West India Islands, 
cacao of excellent quality is obtained from the 
United States of Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, 
Brazil, Ceylon, Madagascar, the Philippine Islands, 
&c. In British Honduras, Theohroma Cacao and 
T, angiistifolia, the famous cacao tree of Socunusco, 
both grow wild. Mr. Morris, now the assistant-director 
Of Kew Gardens, saw a number of them on the 
banks of the Bio Grande, ‘ with their stems covered 
with flowers, and often loaded with fruit,’ growing 
‘ under the shade of large overhanging trees in deep 
soil, and inrather moist situations.’ Bi'itish Honduras, 
therefore, where the most valuable species are indi- 
genous, would appear to be the most favourable of our 
colonies for a cacao plantation. 
PRACTICAL HINTS, 
In choosing land an elevation of from three hun- 
dred to six hundred feet is desirable : the plantation 
must be sheltered from the winds and the direct in- 
fluences of the sea-breezes. The cacao will thrive 
close to the sea-shore but the site must be sheltered. 
The well-drained but moist alluvial lands in the river- 
valleys afford the best soil and situation. 
At the ‘ Valle Menier ’ in Nicaragua, when I 
received my first lesson in cacao cultivation, only 
seedlings, propagated in nurseries, are planted 
out. In other places the method known as planting 
‘ at' stake,’ that is, propagating on the plantation, 
is sometimes adopted but this I cannot recommend. 
When the plantation is intended to be made on 
lands covered with virgin forest, the first step is 
clearing a space for the nursery. When the trees 
and undergrowth have been removed, the soil should 
be hoed und raked, and all weeds carefully pulled 
up. For planting, the best-looking pods, not over- 
ripe should be chosen. Those known in Mexico as 
• hechas ’ are generally preferred. They are light- 
coloured and solid, and distinguished from the 
* viches ’ by the seeds not rattling inside. A light 
tap with a knife handle is the test usually employed. 
The seeds should be planted eight inches apart 
and one inch deep in small furrows, covered with 
[Jan. 1, 1898. 
loose, fine mould and banana leaves, and watered 
lightly every morning and evening for a fortnight, 
when the seedlings will begin to show above ground. 
The banana leaves should then be removed, and a 
roof of palm or other large leaves, raised on sticks, 
constructed to shield the young cacaos from the 
sun. This done, the planter may leave them and turn 
his attention to the land where they will be planted 
out. 
The close of the rainy season is the proper time 
to begin clearing. This varies according to locality, 
but in the Eivas district the winter or rainy season— 
‘ Invierno,’ as the natives call it — commences about 
the middle of May and ends in the middle of 
November. In Mexico the rainy season is not over, as 
a rule, before the end of December. The first step is to 
mark the valuable timber trees, fell them, and haul 
them away. The remainder, with the undergrowth, 
should be cut down, leaving, however, a belt on that 
side of the plantation which is most exposed to the 
wind. The branches should be lopped off the tranks, 
and the whole left a month to dry. When perfectly 
dry the brushwood and trees should be piled in con- 
venient heaps and burned. It is advisable, however, 
to sort out such vegetation as will decompose quickly 
and allow it to rot for use as a fertiliser. When the 
whole is destroyed by fire, constituents very neces- 
sary to enrich the soil are given off and lost. 
SHADE. 
As the cacao trees require to be shaded from the 
direct rays of the sun and sheltered from violent 
winds, it is customary in Nicaragua to leave such 
trees standing as can be utilised for shade. When 
more shade is required, cuttings of fast-growing trees 
called ‘ Madres de Cacao ’ — mothers of the cacao — are 
planted to supply it. The tree generally used for this 
purpose in Nicaragua is locally known as ‘Madera 
negra.’ Various species are used in different places, 
but the most common perhaps is the Savonetta of 
Trinidad, supposed to be identical with the ‘ Madera 
negra.’ As a rule these trees serve no other purpose 
than to give shade, whereas the banana, planted 
as a shade-tree, will yield fruit as well. I recom- 
mend either the banana or Castilloa elastica, the 
india-rubber tree, for this purpose, and give the pre- 
ference to the latter, as being much more valuable 
and lasting. It would be a good plan to plant bananas 
first in rows fifteen feet apart, each tree in the row 
forty-five feet distant from the next. They spring 
up directly and afford good shade in six months 
or less. Then rubber and cacao trees should be 
planted between the bananas, thus forming a composite 
plantation. The bananas die down after fruiting, 
but are soon replaced from the same roots. When 
the rubber trees are big enough to shade the cacao, 
the banana roots might be grubbed up, leaving the 
rubber and cacao in possession of the ground. The 
space occupied by the bananas might then be filled 
up with rubber, or cacao, as desired, when the trees 
would be fifteen feet apart. As the Castilloa elastica 
is a deep feeder, and proof against the attacks of 
insects, it is perhaps the best possible shade-tree. 
The Castilloas may be tapped in the eighth year, 
when they will yield, on an average, five pounds of 
rubber worth two shillings a pound. The quantity 
of rubber will increase every year for a certain 
period, and continue for from twenty to thirty-five 
years or longer. 
PLANTING OUT. 
To return to the cacao seedlings. When twelve 
months old they will be about two feet high and ready 
for transplanting. This should be done at the begin- 
ning of the rainy season. Considerable care is 
necessary. In Mexico the process is as follows : A 
peon cuts a circle or square round the seedling with a 
machete, then with a spade lifts up both earth and 
plant. Another peon stands by with a large leaf, 
which he wraps round the mass to retain the earth 
and guard the taproot. Holes two feet square and two 
feet deep having been dug fifteen feet apart, or that 
distance from the shade-trees, the young cacaos are 
carefully placed therein, the holes filled up, and the 
earth well pressed down. Dried leaves, banana trash, 
or mixed wood ashes and decomposed vegetable 
