10 TlMEHRI. 
before the plants are disturbed, and arranging the plants 
in the same way, in relation to the sun, when placing 
them in their new sites. 
Training is begun as soon as the growth permits. Only 
three or four of the strongest branches are left, all weak 
ones removed. The ground should be covered as much 
as possible without allowing the trees to interfere with 
each other or excluding light and air. 
The cocoa is apt to produce a great number of bran- 
ches and branchlets, at the cost of its bearing powers, 
and care must be taken to remove those that are super- 
fluous in time. The best time to prune the trees is Sep- 
tember and October, though it may be done in March, 
or in the beginning of April. 
The best trees are on one single stem ; they live longer, 
bear better, and are not split by heavy winds. When the 
trees are growing so high as to make it difficult to gather 
the crop it is necessary to prune. 
The whole year through, but especially after pruning 
all suckers — light coloured branches with soft bark — which 
spring from the trees must always be removed, the sooner 
the better, as they weaken the trees. Pruning should 
always be done from underneath, cutting as near the stem 
as possible, so that the wound can heal more easily. It 
happens sometimes that a tree being cleft or broken 
must be cut down. If possible, it must be cut at a small 
distance from the ground, so that it may sprout again . 
the best and lowest sucker being retained, this will grow 
into a new tree. Trees often wither at the top — for 
instance when attacked by grubs — while lower down 
healthy suckers are sprouting; in this case the trees 
