292 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Sei'tember 13, 1913. 



FRUIT. 



FERMENTATION OP CAUAO BY 

 MECHANICAL MEANS. 



In a note on the above subject in the Munthb/ JJullttiii 

 of Agricultiirnl Intelli;/eiice and Plant Di:<ia!:is (July 1913) 

 the fact is remarked upon that the cacao-making industry has 

 to deal with an extremely variable product owing to the 

 ditliculty of regulating the changes which take place daring 

 fermentation. The investigation to which the information 

 relates had for its particular object the rendering of cacao 

 preparation more systematic and less ditlicult. It is pointed 

 out that the object of fermentation is to destroy the sweet 

 mucilaginous pulp which adheres closely to the beans of the 

 fruit, and to produce useful chemical changes in the kernel. 

 It %vas found that present methods of fermentation could be 

 modified with advantage by using a mechanical process for 

 removing the pulp after a preliminary treatment of the fruit 

 with a weak alkaline solution. The fresh beans were macer- 

 ated for some hours at a temperature of 45°C. to 50'C. in 

 a 1 per cent, solution of sodium carbonate. The mass was 

 left in a warm, damp place until the pulp had undergone 

 sufficient change. Although satisfactory in most ways, the pro 

 cess had a great disadvantage in that it provided an oppor- 

 tunity for the development of moulds, and for this reason 

 fresh investigations were started with a view to sterilizing 

 the seeds. 15y the simple action of steam under slight 

 pressure, seeds were obtained which, after the pulp had been 

 removed mechanically, presented an excellent appearance. 

 The sterilized seeds were reduced to a powder, and by means 

 of different kinds of tests it was concluded that it was possible 

 to induce changes in this sterilized cacao powder in the 

 laboratory which are almost equal to those which occur in 

 the course of the present method of preparation as practised 

 in the countries where cacao is grown. It is believed that 

 cacao growers would derive considerable benefit by adopting 

 the method experimentally at first with a view to comparing 

 it with processes already in vogue. 



PROSPECTS OF TBE FRUIT GROWER 

 IN UPPER EGYPT. 



In one of the Eighteenth Dynasty temples at Karnak 

 may be seen, carved in stone, groups of fruit trees and their 

 produce, and here also mummified fruits are frequently found 

 buried with the dead, demonstrating the fact that in Egypt 

 the fruit industry was assiduously carried on, no doubt in 

 a paying and scientific manner, 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. 



At the present time the reverse is the case. Egypt 

 neglects the cultivation of fruit. As is pointed out in the 

 Journal of the Roi/il &>ciety of Arts {kwgwst 1, 191.'j), there 

 is little reason for this state of affairs, for in few countries 

 are the soil and climatic conditions more favourable for the 

 cultivation of fruits than in Upper Egypt. The land is 

 particularly cheap, whilst labour is also plentiful and inex- 

 pensive. There are at present no pests and diseases to con- 

 tend with. 



It is stated that the country is particularly well adapted for 

 the growth of the vine. This cultivation is already carried on 

 in Upper Egypt, and is said to prove so profitable that a net 

 yield worth over £100 per acre is not uncommon — and this 

 from the ordinary grape vine without the aid of those 

 scientific efforts so necessary to the production of good fruit. 

 The conditions are also said to be ideal for citrus growing: 



1-^mons yielding two crops annually, and thedemand for oranges 

 and tangerines being far in excess of the present supply. 

 Other fruits such a.--, bananas, guavas, grape fruits, pine apples, 

 papaws and mangoes could be easily grown and dispcsed of 

 at a high rate of profit, and it also pays to produce in this 

 country sultanas, muscatels, peaches, nectarines and apricots. 

 Muscatels are dried in the sun and pay the purchaser yearly 

 up to £200 per acre; orange groves yield about £12.5 per 

 acre. An English company is reported to be about to take 

 up fruit farming and irrigation on a large scale, for which, at 

 present, they are inviting financial support. In conclusion 

 it is of interest to note that the annual imports of fresh fruits 

 into Egypt is valued at upwards of £200,000, and of dried 

 fruits £300,000. These latter have to pay an ad valorem, 

 duty of 8i per cent, 



EFFECT OF FERTILIZERS ON THE 

 QUALITY OP CITRUS FRUITS. 



It is generally admitted that citrus fruit, in common 

 with other crops, remove certain elements from the soil, and 

 that those must eventually be replaced if production is to 

 be sustained at its original level. As is pointed out in an 

 article by R. S. Cunliffe, b.Sc, in the CuUi Magazine 

 (August 1913) it is not so frequently recognized that a prop- 

 erly balanced fertilizer has an eminently beneficial effect on 

 the quality of the product. 



In the course of the article referred to above, several 

 tables are given in support of this action of fertilizers on 

 quality. Table 1 presents the results obtained from an 

 experiment with oranges on the red lands of Havana 

 province. Plot 1 received no fertilizer. The average weight 

 of the fruits produced was Gl oz. The appearance of the 

 fruit was fair but the skin was thin, raggy, very sweet and 

 insipid. The percentage decay thirty days after picking 

 was 100. Plot 3, on the other hand, to which was applied, 

 in the experiment, sulphate of ammonia, 3 B)., acid phos- 

 phate 8'5 tt), sulphate of potash 4 7 lb. gave very different 

 results. The average weight of fruit produced was 7'9 oz. 

 The appearance was good, skin thin, still some ragginess, 

 juicy, sub acid-flavour, and sprightly The percentage decay 

 thirty days after picking was only 14. 



Similar results to the above were obtained in the case 

 of other varieties of oranges, and aKo with grape fruits, and 

 the investigations appear to have established in a general 

 way, the fact that fertilizers exert an extremely beneficial 

 action on the keeping qualities and Havour in varieties of 

 fruits that are naturally weak in these respects. 



It is interesting to note that the writer is dubious as to 

 the beneficial action of mulching — a form of manuring which 

 has proved so successful in the case of cacao and also for 

 limes in the West Indies. It is suggested that the defect as 

 regards the keeping quality in the case of a certain variety 

 of orange might be attributed to mulching, and the view is 

 expres.sed that any tendency in this direction might be 

 counterbalanced by the judicious application of mineral 

 fertilizers. In conclusion, although it may be admitted that 

 potash is the dominant ingredient in a fertilizer for bearing 

 trees, the author is of opinion that the best results, not 

 merely in yield but also in quality, are obtained only by 

 a proper balance of the essential elements necessary as plant 

 food. 



Without casting any reflections on the above results, it 

 would be of interest to know under what auspices the experi- 

 ments were conducted, and the influence the results have had 

 in connexion with practical fruit growing in Cuba and 

 elsewhere. 



