=Cacao.= The cultivation of cacao is by far the most important industry of Ecuador, the amount exported in 1910 having nearly ten times the value of any other commodity. The shrub grows wild in many tracts where it is necessary merely to cut out other growth, leaving such tall trees as may be desirable to shade the cacao shrubs. It remains only to weed the land once a year, to give occasional prunings, and to harvest the fruit. Besides these natural and irregular plantations many have been prepared by clearing a suitable tract except for the required shade trees. In holes two or three yards apart the fresh cacao seeds are sowed; they sprout and grow rapidly. The plants must be sheltered from the sun, maize or yucca serving this purpose for two years, or if the banana plant is used it will suffice for 6 or 7 years till the cacao comes into bearing. By this time other shade trees which may have been planted will be large enough to serve, and the banana plants are cut down. The plantation will then last indefinitely, for when the old trees die at the age of 60 or 80 years a new growth will have appeared to continue the work. The principal harvest is in March and April, but the fruit may be gathered during the entire year. The pod containing the seeds is left on the ground a day or two after cutting, then the seeds are taken out and put in the sweating house for fermentation, which gives a superior color, flavor, and aroma. Drying follows. The cacao is rich in fats, albuminoids, caffeine, and theobromine. In preparation for cocoa the fat is removed and used for cocoa butter; it is retained for chocolate, which is therefore richer than cocoa and for many persons is less digestible. A large area is now under cultivation but more land is available. The best plantations are at an altitude of 650-2600 feet. Twelve per cent is an ordinary return on an investment, and at 1918 prices from 15 to 25 per cent. It is the safest and easiest crop of the country, and foreign investors have engaged in the industry. The districts south of Guayaquil yield especially fine crops, though cacao flourishes on any of the hot humid lowlands. With more scientific culture the quality might probably be improved, as it is said to be hardly equal to the best raised elsewhere. =Other products= are cotton, sugar, maize, tobacco, coffee, tagua, rice, yucca (known also as cassava and mandioca), bananas, indigo, rubber, quinine, bread fruit, etc., all growing up to 3000 feet and some much higher, but of these tagua, rubber, 1,000,000 pounds, and coffee, crop 7,000,000 pounds, in the order named, are the only important exports.