The Natural History of Chocolate/Part I/Chapter II

CHAP. II.

Of the Choice and Disposition of the Place for Planting Cocao-Trees.

The Cocao-Tree grows naturally in several Countries in America under the Torrid Zone, but chiefly at Mexico, in the Provinces of Nicaragua and Guatimala, as also along the Banks of the River of the Amazons. Likewise upon the Coast of Caraqua, that is to say, from Comana to Cartagena and the Golden Island. Some also have been found in the Woods of Martinico.

The Spaniards and Portuguese were the first to whom the Indians communicated the Use of Cocao-Nuts, which they kept a long time to themselves without acquainting other Nations with it; who in reality know so little of it at this day, that some Dutch Corsairs, ignorant of the Value of some Prizes they had taken, out of contempt cast the Merchandize into the Sea, calling it in derision, in very indifferent Spanish, Cacura de Carnero, The Dung of Beasts.

In 1649 in the Vert Islands, they had never seen but one Tree planted, which was in the Garden of an English-Man, an Inhabitant of the Island of St. Croix. In 1655, the Caribeans shewed to M. du Parepet a Cocao-Tree in the Woods of the Island of Martinico, whereof he was Governour. This discovery was the Foundation of several others of the same kind, in the Woods of the Cape Sterre of this Island. And it is probable that the Kernels which were taken out of them, were the Original of those Cocao-Trees that have been planted there since. A Jew named Benjamin planted the first about the Year 1660, but it was not till twenty or twenty-five Years after, that the Inhabitants of Martinico apply'd themselves to the Cultivation of Cocao-Trees, and to raise Nurseries of them.

When one would raise a Nursery, it is necessary, above all things, to chuse a proper Place, in respect of Situation, and a Soil agreeable to the Nature of it.

The Place should be level, moist, and not exposed to Winds; a fresh, and (if one may be allow'd the Expression) a Virgin Soil, indifferently fat, light, and deep. For this reason, Ground newly cleared, whose Soil is black and sandy, which is kept moist by a River, and its Borders so high as to shelter it from the Winds, especially towards the Sea Coast, is preferable to any other; and they never fail putting it to this Use, when they are so happy as to find any of this sort.

I have said, Ground newly cleared, that is to say, whose Wood is cut down purposely for it; for it is necessary to observe, that they at present plant their Nurseries in the middle of Woods, which have been so time out of mind, and this for two weighty Reasons: The First, because the Wood that is left standing round it, may serve as a Shelter; and the Second, because there is less Trouble in weeding or grubbing it. The Ground that has never produced any Weeds, will send forth but few, for want of Seed.

As for Nurseries planted in high Ground, the Earth is neither moist nor deep enough, and commonly the chief Root which grows directly downwards, cannot pierce the hard Earth which it soon meets with. Besides, the Winds are more boisterous, and cause the Blossoms to fall off as soon as blown, and when a little high, overturn the Tree, whose Roots are almost all superficial.

This is yet worse on the Hills, whose Descent is too steep; for besides the same Inconveniencies, the falling down of the Earth draws with it the good Soil, and insensibly lays the Roots bare.

One may therefore conclude that all these Nurseries are a long time before they bear, that they are never fruitful, and that they are destroy'd in a little time.

It is also proper that a Nursery, as much as may be, should be surrounded with standing Wood; but if it is open on any side, it should be remedy'd as soon as possible, by a Border of several Ranks of Trees called Bananes.

Besides this, the Nurseries should be moderate in respect of Magnitude, for the Small have not Air enough, and are, as it were, stifled; and the very Large are too liable to Dryness, and to the great Winds, which, in America, they call Ouragans.

The Place of the Nursery being chosen, and the Bigness determined, they apply themselves to clear it of the Wood. They begin with plucking up the little Plants, and by cutting the Shrubs, and small kinds of Trees, and felling the Trunks and larger Branches of others; they then make Piles, and set them on fire in all Parts, and so burn down the largest Trees of all, to save themselves the trouble of cutting them.

When all is burnt, and there remains nothing upon the Earth, but the Trunks of the great Trees which they don't trouble themselves to consume, and when the Space is well cleaned, they make Alleys by the help of a Line, strait and at equal Distances from each other, and thrust Sticks into the Ground of two or three Foot long, and 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 Feet distant, or at such a distance that they design to plant the Cocao-Trees, which they represent. Afterwards they plant Manioc in the empty Spaces, taking care not to come too near the Sticks.

One may observe, that the Nurseries planted at the great Distances of eight or ten Feet, are a great deal more troublesome to keep clean in the first Years, as we shall observe hereafter; but then they prosper a great deal better, bear more, and last longer.

The Inhabitants, who have a great deal to do, and have but few Slaves, plant the Trees nearer, because by this means they gain room, and they have less trouble to keep it clear; when afterwards the Trees come to hurt and annoy each other by their Proximity, and they have had some Crops to supply their present Necessities: or if otherwise, they are obliged to cut some to give Air to the rest.

On the Coast of Caraqua, they plant the Cocao-Trees at 12 or 15 Feet distance, and they make Trenches to water them from time to time in the dry Seasons. They happily experienced the Success of this Practice at Martinico some Years since.

The Manioc is a woody Shrub, whose Roots being grated, and baked on the Fire, yield a Cassave, or Meal, which serves to make Bread for all the Natives of America. They plant it in the new Nurseries, not only because it is necessary to supply the Negroes with Food, but also it hinders the Growth of Weeds, and serves to shade the young Cocao-Trees, whose tender Shoots, and even the second Leaves, are not able to resist the scorching Beams of the Sun. For this reason they wait till the Manioc shades the Feet of the Sticks before they plant the Cocao-Trees, in the manner that we shall describe in the following Chapter.