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ture of 6o° C. by conducting channels which allow the hot air to 

 circulate from grates disposed at one end of the apparatus. Ther- 

 mometers indicate when it is necessary to increase or decrease the 

 temperature. It is asserted that by such an apparatus the cocoa 

 is fermented in such a manner as to produce a homogenous 

 product, and one which is freer from acidity than most of the 

 cocoa placed on the market. M. Maurice Montet in his criticism 

 on the apparatus and method designed by M. Schulte states, that 

 though the results ascribed to this process are possible, the expense 

 and the skilled assistance necessary to supervise the work, are 

 such as to make the process of little value to cocoa planters in 

 most parts of the tropics. Furthermore, it has been pointed out 

 that the cocoa on the public market is often classed and valued 

 more according to the countries from which it has been obtained 

 than the method of fermentation adopted ; this, though correct 

 to a certain degree, should not discourage the introduction of new 

 and better methods of fermenting, as it is obvious from the 

 present range in value of cacao from any one country that the 

 better qualities will ultimately receive recognition. 



FERMENTING IN TROPICAL AMERICA. 



The time taken to effect a good fermentation in parts of Central 

 America varies accoring to the variety dealt with and the methods 

 adopted. In Nicaragua the seeds from Criollo and. Lagarto fruits 

 are fermented for two days and the Trinitario seeds about four to 

 five days ; in Salvador the seeds are usually fermented for one or 

 two days, and the same length of time appears to be allowed for 

 the varieties in Guatemala. 



FERMENTING IN SURINAM, VENEZUELA, ETC. 



Preuss* is of the opinion that the cocoa varieties grown in 

 Cameroon are not inferior to those cultivated in Surinam, though 

 the cocoa exported from the latter place is the better one. He 

 attributes the bitter taste and sour smell of much of the Cameroon 

 cocoa to the want of efficient fermenting, and ascribes the good 

 qualities of the cocoa from Surinam to the systematic fermenting 

 which is adopted. The fermenting chambers in Surinam consist 

 of series of compartments, often eight in series, and some measur- 

 ing I ' 5 metres in breadth, 2 ' 25 m. in depth and I ' 7 m. in height ; 

 these chambers are made of wood, provided with an intervening 

 air space between one another, and constructed with sloping 

 floors. In fermenting, one box or chamber is left empty; the 

 others are filled with wet cocoa, often to a depth of one metre, 

 and the cocoa is covered with banana leaves, and the box is then 

 closed. The cocoa is allowed to ferment in this condition for 

 one day; when that from the chamber next to the empty one is 

 transferred to the latter; the contents of each box, after each 

 empty one has been well washed, are transferred to the next 

 empty one, and by this means the cocoa is well mixed and super- 

 fluous sweatings removed. Each box is again allowed to retain 

 the fermenting cocoa for one clay, when the same process is again 



* Expedition nach Central und Siidamerika, by Dr. Paul Preuss, 1901. 



