266 Mr. James Epps, Jun., on 
be used for this work. The pods, after being released from the 
tree, fall to the ground, and are gathered into heaps by men and 
women. One pod is then placed in the open left hand, and the 
operator, with his right hand, brings down a cutlass (see fifth 
Plate) on the upturned side of the pod, taking care not to allow 
the tool to go through the shell to injure the beans. The seeds 
contained within the pods are then scraped out with the fingers, 
and placed in baskets, and are carried away to the curing- 
house. (See sixth Plate.) 
Curing has been, and is, done in many ways. In high-class 
qualities of cocoa fermentation is necessary, although in some 
countries the beans are only sun-dried, fetching in the market a 
much lower price. In some countries they are cured and then 
washed. As the two latter processes involve no special care, we 
will pass on to the critical process of fermentation, or curing, 
as it is carried out in the preparation of the finest cocoas of 
Trinidad. 
The fresh cacao-seeds, when taken from the pods, as pre- 
viously mentioned, are covered by a copious pulp, and possibly 
the first impulse of a grower would be to remove this pulp by 
washing and drying the beans as quickly as possible. This, 
however, would not result in a good quality of cocoa. It is true 
that the pulp must be removed, but washing is not the best 
process ; and apart from this, there are other considerations to 
be thought of. The fresh bean, if tasted, will be found to be of 
a somewhat bitter taste, and of a pale crimson colour. Both 
these characters have to be altered before the beans are fit for 
market. 
The best method for this purpose is evidently the one now 
generally adopted. The sweating process is this:—The beans 
brought from the field are placed either in barrels, oblong boxes, 
or in a close room, where they are packed closely together, 
covered with plantain leaves, and left hermetically closed for a 
period extending from four to seven days. While thus shut up 
a process of fermentation, fed by the saccharine matter in the 
pulp, takes place, which raises the temperature of the mass to 
about 140° F'.; it must not be allowed to go above this. When 
the sweating process has been carried on for the requisite num- 
ber of days, it will be noticed, on opening the house and taking 
off the coverings, that a warm odorous steam arises from the 
mass, which is one of the natural results of fermentation. The 
- cocoa itself is also quite hot, and the pulpy matter around the 
seeds has lost its rather slimy consistence, and is capable of 
being easily removed. 
In this state the cocoa is turned out and spread on trays. It 
is first of all carefully picked over by women, who separate the 
beans and free them from trash, tripe, or any foreign substances. 
