263 
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN 
Lectures for School Classes 
In Nature Study, Geography, and Botany 
Do not lose this Syllabus. Take it home to study. Paste it in your notebook. 
SYLLABUS No. 6 
CHOCOLATE AND COCOA 
Source: 
The cocoa of commerce is the ground seed of the cacao tree, Theo 
broma cacao. It eaten to the Sterculia family (Sterculiaceae), ee 
is related to the mallows. The name, Theobroma, comes from two 
Greek words meaning “ bec for the gods.’ 
Where found: 
The cacao tree is a native of the shady forests of northern South 
America, but it has been grown for several centuries in the tropical 
parts of South and Central America and the Antilles. It is now grown 
in practically all the tropical countries of the world. 
Description of Plant: 
The cultivated cacao is a small shade-loving tree about the size of 
our peach trees. It produces its flowers and fruits in a curious manner. 
The small branches and twigs bear only leaves, while the inconspicuous 
yellow and purple flowers spring in clusters from points on the bark of 
the trunk and larger branches. The fruit when mature, is a pod 6-10 
inches long marked with fecal ribs. he texture of the skin is 
like that of a thin-skinned squash: the color varies from lemon yellow to 
deep red 
Culture: 
The cacao plant thrives best in a rich, moist, humus soil, and warm 
even temperature, so it can only be grown in the tropics. Shade must 
be afforded the young growing trees, and this is done in the plantations 
by planting various quick growing trees alternately with the cacao trees. 
Fruiting: 
The cacao tree begins to bear fruit at the age of six years and con- 
tinues its period of bearing for about fifty years. A bearing tree in 
8 ; 
n the two main harvests, at the beginning and middle of the year, 
although the pods keep ripening continuously throughout the year. 
