Ch. VÍIÍ. south AMERICA. 175 



piílil contains the embryo of the pod, which grows to 

 the length of fix or feven inches, and four or five in 

 breadth, refembhnga cucumber in fhape ; and Itriated 

 in a longitudinal direction, but deeper ihan the cu- 

 cumber. The pods are not precifely of the above di- 

 menfions, nor are they always proportionate to the 

 fíem or branch, to which they adhere in the form of 

 excrefcences, feme being much fmaller; and it is not 

 extraordinary to I'ee one of the lean fize on the prin- 

 cipal trunk, and one prodigioufly large near the ex- 

 tremity of a flender branch. But it is obferved, 

 that, when two grow in conta¿^, one of them attra6tSk 

 all the nutritive juice, and thrives on the decay of the- 

 other. 



The colour of the pod, while growing, is green, 

 nearly reiembhng that of the leaf; hut, when arrived- 

 at its full perfeélion, it gradually changes to a yellow. 

 I'he fhell which covers it is thin, fmooth, and clear. 

 When the fruit is arrived at its thll growth, it is ga- 

 thered; and being cut into flices, its pulp appears 

 white and juicy, with fmall feeds regularly arranged, 

 and at that lime of no greater conii Hence than the reft 

 of the pulp, but whiter, and contained by a very fine 

 delicate membrane, full oí lit(uor, rcfcmi)ling milk, 

 but iranfparcnt, and ibmelhing vifcid ; at this time it 

 may be eaten like any other fruit. Its tafre is a 

 Iweetilb acid ; but in. this countrv is thou>Tht to be 

 promotive of fevers, 'i'he yellownefs of the pod in- 

 dicates that the cacao begins to feed on its fubflance, 

 to acquire a greater coniiltence, and that the leed^ 

 begin to fill ; the colour gradually fading till they arc 

 fully completed, when the dark brown colour ot^ the 

 ihell, into which the yellow has deviated, indicates 

 tliat it is a proper time to gather it. The tliicknefs 

 of tiie fhell i's now about two lines, and each feed 

 iound inclofed in one of the compartments formed 

 by the tranfverte membranes of the pod. After ga- 

 thering the fruit, it is opened, and the feeds taken 



out 



