Natural History of Chocolate — The First Part. Chapter 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_[n].

Likewise upon the Coast of _Caraqua_, that is to say, from Comana to Cartagena[o] 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_[p], The Dung of Beasts.

In 1649[q] 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_[r].

In 1655, the _Caribeans_[s] 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_[t] 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_[5].

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_[u].

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_[6] 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.

FOOTNOTES:

[n] Relation of the River of the _Amazons_.

[o] I have added this Explication, because _Pomet_ makes it come from _Caraqua_, of the Province of _Nicaragua_ in _New Spain_, which is distant from _Caracas_ 5 or 600 Leagues.

V. VII.

Chap.

xiv.

[p] Thomas Gage, _Tom.

1. Part 2.

Chap.

19. Pag.

150. _ [q] Rochefort's _Natural History of the _Antilloes_.

Book 1.

Chap.

6. Artic.

16. _ [r] Father _Tertre_'s Hist.

of the _Antilloes_.

Tom.

2. p. 184. [s] These are the Savage Natives of the _Antilloes_.

[t] That Part is call'd so, which lies exposed to the Winds which come always from the _North-East_ to the _South-East_.

That Part under the Wind, is called _Basse-Terre_.

[5] See the fifth Remark at the End of the Treatise.

[u] These violent and outrageous Winds blow from all Points of the Compass in twenty-four Hours.

And this is one material thing to distinguish them from the regular and common Winds of this Climate.

[6] See the Remark at the sixth Article.