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relative high temperature it is very rare that the latter destroys 

 the embryo of the seed ; to a certain extent fermentation is a 

 continuation of the processes commenced in the seeds after 

 maturity. Ordinary fermented seeds, if dried under unfavourable 

 conditions will germinate, the prevention of such developments 

 being one of the main objects of curing ; this proves that the 

 fermenting of cacao does not involve chemical changes harmful 

 to the vitality of the seeds. 



The necessity of, and improvement in quality effected by, the 

 ordinary fermentation of cocoa are generally acknowledged ; 

 nevertheless, some countries do as little fermenting as possible, 

 and in some places this operation is entirely neglected. Accord- 

 ing to some authorities the purple colour and bitter taste of the 

 unfermented dried seeds are wanted by some markets. 



In 1902, several experiments were made at the Experiment 

 Station, Peradeniya, with the object of effecting a good curing of 

 seeds which had been fermented inside the fruit. In the first 

 experiment the fruits were exposed to the sun for seven days until 

 the wall was brown and brittle; the seeds were then cured in the 

 sun, some after washing, others without washing. The cured 

 seed prepared in this manner was dark in colour externally; 

 internally it was very uneven in colour and not at all brittle. In 

 a second experiment the fresh unbroken fruits were placed in a 

 curing house, and kept at a temperature of about 100° F. for three 

 days. The beans, fermented under such conditions, were sub- 

 sequently cured in the sun as in the first experiment, and with 

 very nearly the same results. In a third experiment fresh seeds 

 were exposed to the sun without any fermenting, but with poor 

 results. In none of these experiments did the results obtained 

 justify the change in our method of fermenting. All the seeds 

 which were fermented inside the fruit, or cured without being 

 fermented, had to be placed along with the " black" cocoa, owing 

 to the pliable nature and uneven colour of the substance of the 

 seed. 



METHODS OF FERMENTING. 



It is now necessary to describe the various methods of ferment- 

 ing adopted in different cocoa-growing countries. In Ceylon 

 most cocoa planters adopt what may be termed the natural method 

 of fermenting, which consists of heaping the fresh seeds on the 

 floor or in receptacles and covering them with leaves of the banana, 

 ordinary cloth, or layers of these alternating with layers of earth. 

 The fermenting floor is usuallv built with a slope, so that the watery 

 products may escape during fermentation. Each heap may 

 consist of four or more bushels of fresh seeds, which are turned 

 over every day to prevent the temperature rising too high and to 

 ensure an uniform product ; a period of thirty-six hours to five 

 days or even longer is allowed for fermentation according to the 

 variety dealt with and the circulation of air maintained through 

 the heated mass, after which the seeds are washed and then cured, 

 either in the sun or in rooms supplied with hot air. The cocoa 

 planters in Ceylon do not usually separate the different varieties 



