JAMAICA. 



BULTjBTIISr 



OF THE 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. I. AUGUST, 1903. Part 8. 



COCOA III. 



Notes from Dr. Paul Preuss 

 Cocoa in Venezuela* 



The characteristic mark of Criollo cocoa is found in tbe bean, which 

 in the frf sh state looks round and swollen. The transverse section 

 therefore is elliptical or nearly circular. The tint of the bean is much 

 paler than in Trinitario and varies even to pure white. The taste is 

 not, even in fresh grains, of a disagreable bitterness, it is still less so 

 in the dry beans. 



The fermentation of the Criollo beans is accomplished in one day. 

 At Guigue, the beans are allowed to ferment for two days, they are 

 then exposed for some hours to the sun and finally they are submitted 

 to a new fermentation lasting one day. The tint of tbe dry bean is a 

 light brown. The arcma and the taste are excellent. The break is 

 extremely friable. When a few dry beans are squeezed in the hand 

 they give out a particular sharp rattling sound, not heard in the Tri- 

 nitaro which produces rather a strong cracking sound. 



The Criollo of Venezuela preserves its characters well ; at any rate 

 it is the case in the variety with red fruits. It does not show any 

 tendency to deteriorate from proximity to the Trinitario. In places 

 where these two varieties grow together, it is stated that the fruits of 

 certain classes of Trinitario acquire a resemblance to those of the Cri- 

 ollo, but the Criollo, according to Dr. P mess's observations, never ap- 

 propriate the characters of the Trinitario. 



Plantations of pure Criollo cocoa are not very extensive anywhere. 

 As a general rule all the varieties are planted anyhow together. 

 Plantations of pure Carupano are equally rare. Well-informed 

 planters have long since ascertained that the Carupano dimiuishes the 



Continued from Bulletin for June and July, page 121 — 124, 



