340 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 



[October i, 1884. 



2nd day. 



Externally— Slightly altered to a reddish hue. 



Internally— Appearance, alteration in colour, taste bitter, 

 pulp acid. 



Ferment — Warm to feel. 



3hd dav. 



Externally— Colour more red, pulp fermenting. 



Internally— Colour brighter, appearance of the liquor of 

 fermentation, taste bitter with a pleasant acid flavour. 



Ferment— The mass heated up to 100 to 110 degrees. 



4th day. 



Externally— Deeper red, pulp fermented and very acid> 

 patches of white mildew appear on the top and sides of bin- 

 Internally — Colour brighter, liquor of fermentation in- 

 creased, producing a dark purple viscid solution, which i6 

 perceptible throogh the whole of the cotyledon. 



Taste acid — bitter, with a cacao after-flavour. 



Ferment— Heat to its full height, generally 120 degrees. 

 5th day. 



Externally — Colour reddish, pulp less liquid to feel, the 

 mass evolving a pleasant fermenting smell sometimes alco- 

 holic. 



Internally— Colour much brighter according to the kind 

 of cacao, some of a lilac colour (the best quality,, other 

 portions darker, and a light purple viscid solution developed 

 in full quantity lying free through the whole nib. 



Taste — The acid bitter of the first stage now disappears 

 being replaced by a pleasant acid, sweet bitter. 



Ferment — Heat up to 120 degrees. 



OTH DAY. 



Externally — red in colour, mildew increased. 



Internally — Nibs generally of a lighter hue, some (the 

 best) turning dark cream colour. 



Taste — The same as 5th day. 



Ferment — Heat up to 120 degrees, the mass assuming 

 a dryer appearance, giving out a strong odour of ferment- 

 ation. 



7th day. 



Externally —Red in colour, mildew more. 



Internally — A shade lighter all through. 



Taste — The same as 6th day. 



Ferment — The same as 6th day. 



8th to 14th day. 



Fermentation goes on modifying both in colour and taste ; 

 the cotyledon re-absorbs the liquor of fermentation thereby 

 gradually turning the internal colour to a light brown, 

 forming a most delicate cacao unsuited for the present 

 markets, and not fitted for adulteration. 



Externally the highly-fermented nibs are dark in colour. 



Th< cacao, when dried after either of the above days, 

 gives the following indications: — 



If dried after the first day the indications are extern- 

 ally bright orange-red, internally a heavy wavy mass, slate 

 purple colour. 



Second day — Externally bright red with dark markings 

 of pulp. Internally solid in appearance. Colour, slate- 

 purple. 



Third day — Externally bright-red, pulp markings much 

 deeper. Internally the cotyledon split, dark-purple brown 

 in colour. 



Fourth day — Externally red with the dark-purple mark- 

 ings more diffused. Internally more open, purple-brown 

 in colour. 



Fifth day — Externally red brown, pulp-mai kings yet more 

 diffused, internally broken, more open-dark colour, aroma 

 perceptible. 



Sixth day. — Externally brown-red, pulp diffused all over 

 th • surface. Internally dark and light brown, aroma very 

 perceptible. 



Seventh and eighth day producing a decided general 

 improvement. Externally of a brown-red or brown colour, 

 showing no pulp marks. Internally the cotyledon is divided 

 from the centre outwards and colored different shades of 

 brown (lightest best). On breaking the nib a pleasant aroma 

 is exuded, this aroma is somewhat increased by longer 

 fermentation. 



The alteration taken place between the fermentation 

 and drying is very great, and a description of this change 

 I will now attempt. 



The early stages of fermentation bring about a change 

 similar to that which takes place in the germination of 

 malt. The cacao is modified as regards the extreme acrid 

 bitter, as also the colour and density. The fermentation 

 also changes some of the substances into saccharine bodies, 

 and, further, splits the cotyledon. A fact worthy of notice, 

 is that during the fermentation a liquid is formed by 

 chemical attraction and condensation. This liquid I believe 

 to be the true essence and toning matter of the whole 

 bean, and without this, cacao would be merely a dry 

 tasteless vegetable substance. 



Fermentation not only produces all of the above al- 

 terations, but changes a hard indigestible matter into one 

 easily digested. 



The drying of cacao requires special attention, more 

 especially if the drying is carried on in the usual manner. 



Should the weather be changeable much waste and de- 

 terioration is caused by the ordinary process of drying. 

 There is no certain dependence in sun-drying, especially 

 in this Island. 



My first experiments in the desiccation of cacao were 

 made with tarpaulins spread on the ground an effective 

 and economic plan if properly carried out. After the 

 erection of a cacao house the drying was carried on a 

 wooden floor covered by a moveable roof. 



Taking the fermented cacao from the bins, when it is 

 then more or less mildewed, it is subjected to a process 

 of rubbing with the hand or stamping with the feet to 

 destroy the mildewed appearance and diffuse the fermented 

 pulp. This operation does not destroy the fungi but rather 

 incorporates it with the external pulp. 



First day's drying. — The cacao after undergoing more 

 or less rubbiug to make it of one uniform colour, is placed 

 on the drying floor at a depth of from one to two inches 

 thick ; it is then exposed to the sun's rays, and raked 

 and turned over every half-hour. By mid-day there 

 is a well-marked difference in the appearance of the cacao • 

 the nibs are inflated and possess a full red colour, the pulp 

 shows a desiccated appearance and is less adhesive. 



Special attention must be paid to inflation in order to 

 produce a good marketable article. Towards the after 

 part of the day, the larger proportion of the nibs are seen 

 to have a small globule of the liquor of fermentation which 

 oozes from the inside; this effect should be avoided if 

 possible, and this effect may be accomplished, by, during the 

 hottest part of the day, heaping the cacao to allow a 

 partial collapse. 



A mid-day fermentation is beneficial more especially to 

 an under-fermented cacao, as the latter then undergoes 

 what might be called dry fermentation, which decidedly 

 improves the quality. This operation should only be at- 

 tempted in sunny weather. By sun-down the cacao will 

 have a dry appearance and feel, most of the nibs being 

 inflated. 



Seoond day's drying. — The appearance of the cacao on 

 the opening of the- house was as follows: — The cacao was 

 covered with a frosty-like mildew more or less intense on 

 the humid spots. The greater portion of the inflation had 

 disappeared. The mildew is subsequently rubbed off and 

 the cacao left to dry. The cacao is raked as before, and 

 after some time re-inflates, but not to the same extent as 

 on the first day. 



By evening the cacao externally is dry to feel and look 

 internally it is somewhat humid, the liquor of ferment- 

 ation having being partially absorbed,|thus producing a gum- 

 my feel. 



Third day's during.— The cacao may have a slight mil- 

 dew from the moisture which exudes from the nib during 

 the night. This moisture is soon evaporated, and by even- 

 ing the cacao is dried sufficiently to finish in the shade. 

 A further day's sun is however preferable, as it gives to 

 the husk that peculiar sound so desirable when the cacao 

 is being tested ; it further ensures complete desiccation. 



Should the weather be showery or what is still more to 

 be feared wet, the drying operations may take from 4 to 

 12 days to complete — every day after the fourth brings 

 with it a considerable increase of fungi, ending in a black 

 husk externally and possibly rot internally. These can be 

 detected by a slaty-black appearance and disagreeable odour. 

 The different colours on the outside of the nib are due to 

 solar action, in combination with the acid of the pulp and 

 the tannin of the husk : these produce a cacao which is 



