Cacao Culture in the Philippines Part 3

SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES.

New Varieties.--Cacao is exclusively grown from seed, and it is only by careful selection of the most valuable trees that the planter can hope to make the most profitable renewals or additions to his plantations. It is by this means that many excellent sorts are now in cultivation in different regions that have continued to vary from the three original, common forms of Theobroma cacao, until now it is a matter of some difficulty to differentiate them.

Residence.--The conditions for living in the Philippines offer peculiar, it may be said unexampled, advantages to the planter of cacao. The climate as a whole is remarkably salubrious, and sites are to be found nearly everywhere for the estate buildings, sufficiently elevated to obviate the necessity of living near stagnant waters.

Malarial fevers are relatively few, predacious animals unknown, and insects and reptiles prejudicial to human life or health extraordinarily few in number. In contrast to this we need only call attention to the entire Caribbean coast of South America, where the climate and soil conditions are such that the cacao comes to a superlative degree of perfection, and yet the limits of its further extension have probably been reached by the insuperable barrier of a climate so insalubrious that the Caucasian's life is one endless conflict with disease, and when not engaged in active combat with some form of malarial poisoning his energies are concentrated upon battle with the various insect or animal pests that make life a burden in such regions.

Nonresidence upon a cacao plantation is an equivalent term for ultimate failure. Every operation demands the exercise of the observant eye and the directing hand of a master, but there is no field of horticultural effort that offers more a.s.sured reward, or that will more richly repay close study and the application of methods wrought out as the sequence of those studies.

ESTIMATED COST AND REVENUES DERIVED FROM A CACAO PLANTATION.

Estimates of expenses in establis.h.i.+ng a cacao farm in the Visayas and profits after the fifth year. The size of the farm selected is 16 hectares, the amount of land prescribed by Congress of a single public land entry. The cost of procuring such a tract of land is as yet undetermined and can not be reckoned in the following tables. The prices of the crop are estimated at 48 cents per kilo, which is the current price for the best grades of cacao in the world's markets. The yield per tree is given as 2 catties, or 1.25 kilos, a fair and conservative estimate for a good tree, with little or no cultivation. The prices for unskilled labor are 25 per cent in advance of the farm hand in the Visayan islands. No provision is made for management or supervision, as the owner will, it is a.s.sumed, act as manager.

Charges to capital account are given for the second, third, and fourth year, but no current expenses are given, for other crops are to defray operating expenses until the cacao trees begin to bear. No estimate of residence is given. All accounts are in United States currency.

Expendable the first year.

Capital account:

Clearing of average brush and timber land, at $15 per hectare $340.00 Four carabaos, plows, harrows, cultivators, carts, etc. 550.00 Breaking and preparing land, at $5 per hectare 80.00 Opening main drainage ca.n.a.ls, at $6 per hectare 96.00 Tool house and storeroom 200.00 Purchase and planting 10,000 abaca stools, at 2 cents each 200.00 Seed purchase, rearing and planting 12,000 cacao, at 3 cents each 360.00 Contingent and incidental 174.00 ------- Total $2,000.00

Second year.

Interest on investment $200.00 Depreciation on tools, buildings, and animals (20 per cent of cost) 150.00 ------- 350.00

Third year.

Interest on investment $200.00 Depreciation as above 150.00 ------- 350.00

Fourth year.

Interest on investment $200.00 Depreciation as above 150.00 Building of drying house and sweat boxes, capacity 20,000 kilos 450.00 ------- 800.00 -------- Total capital investment 3,500.00

Fifth year.

Income account:

From 11,680 cacao trees, 300 grams cacao each, equals 3,500 kilos, at 48 cents 1,680.00

Expense account:

Fixed interest and depreciation charges on investment of $3,500.00 $350.00 Taxes 1 1/2 per cent on a one-third valuation basis of $250 per hectare 60.00 Cultivating, pruning, etc., at $5.50 per hectare 88.00 Fertilizing, at $6 per hectare 96.00 Harvesting, curing, packing 3,500 kilos cacao, at 10 cents per kilo 350.00 Contingent 86.00 ------- 1,030.00 -------- Credit balance 650.00

Sixth year.

Income account:

From 11,680 cacao trees, at 500 grams cacao each, equals 5,840 kilos, at 48 cents 2,803.20

Expense account:

Fixed interest and depreciation charges as above $350.00 Taxes as above 60.00 Cultivating, etc., as above 88.00 Fertilizing, at $8 per hectare 128.00 Harvesting, etc., 5,840 kilos cacao, at 10 cents per kilo 584.00 Contingent 93.20 ------- 1,303.20 -------- Credit balance 1,500.00

Seventh year.

Income account:

From 11,680 cacao trees, at 750 grams cacao each, equals 8,760 kilos, at 48 cents 4,204.80

Expense account:

Fixed interest charges as above $350.00 Taxes as above 60.00 Cultivating, etc., as above 88.00 Fertilizing, at $10 per hectare 160.00 Harvest, etc., of 8,760 kilos of cacao, at 10 cents per kilo 876.00 Contingent 170.80 ------- 1,704.80 -------- Credit balance 2,500.00

Eighth year.

Income account:

From 11,680 cacao trees, at 1 kilo cacao each, equals 11,680 kilos, at 48 cents 5,606.40

Expense account:

Fixed interest charges as above $350.00 Taxes as above 60.00 Cultivating, etc., as above 88.00 Fertilizing, at $12.50 per hectare 200.00 Harvest, etc., 11,680 kilos of cacao, at 10 cents per kilo 1,168.00 Contingent 240.40 -------- 2,106.40 -------- Credit balance 3,500.00

Ninth year.

Income account:

From 11,680 trees, at 2 "catties" or 1.25 kilos cacao each, equals 14,600 kilos, at 48 cents 7,008.00

Expense account:

Fixed interest charges as above $350.00 Taxes at 1 1/2 per cent on a one-third valuation of $500 per hectare 120.00 Cultivation and pruning as above 88.00 Fertilizing, at $15 per hectare 240.00 Harvesting, etc., of 14,600 kilos of cacao, at 10 cents per kilo 1,460.00 Contingent 250.00 -------- 2,508.00 -------- Credit balance 4,500.00