they are
prejudicially thick.

By attending to this, I am quite satisfied that a very material
increase in the produce will be seen; indeed, I may say that on this
depends the chief difference of 11/4 lb. and 11 lbs. per tree; for I
consider it a very fair inference, that the average obtained here
can be realised in any other place in this island, and to any
extent, under the same circumstances of light and air, unless on
very poor soil, of which we fortunately have but little.

At twenty-four feet apart there would be seventy-five trees per
acre, or 250 per quarree. This, at 11 lbs. per tree, gives 2,750
lbs. of dried cacao per quarree, at 5 dollars per 100 lbs., gives
137 dollars 50 cents gross; deducting 80 dollars per quarree
expenses, leaves 57 dollars 60 cents net profit. Thus an estate of
120 acres, or 36 quarrees, would contain 9,000 trees, at 11 lbs. per
tree will give 33,000 lbs. of cacao, at 5 dollars gives 4,350
dollars gross per annum; deducting 80 dollars per quarree (a much
more liberal sum than is at present laid out), leaves a net balance
of 1,950 dollars, or 16 dollars 25 cents per acre.

Now this, it must be remembered, would be the produce from 9,000
trees, and from an estate containing only 36 quarrees of land (which
cannot be considered a large one); what, then, might be expected
from estates containing 40,000 trees?

I have been recently favoured with the following average return of
cacao in this island, which I have no doubt will be considered a
fair one. I insert it in full, and, from the very low return, it
shows a lamentable deficiency in the cultivation of this most
grateful tree:--

'The average number of cacoa trees in a quarree of land is 868.

'1st. The estates throughout the island are generally planted at a
distance of 12 feet by 12, and 131/2 feet by 131/2. Those planted at 12
by 12 contain 969 trees in the quarree, and those at 131/2 by 131/2
contain 767 trees, the area of the quarree being taken at 139,697
superficial feet. There may be in the island about 60 quarrees in
all, planted at 15 by 15 feet.

'2nd. The actual annual value of a quarree of land planted in cacoa
is ten fanegas, or 11/4 lb. to a tree.

'It is to be observed that this is the general return from each tree
as estates are now cultivated, but if planters had