CACAO PRODUCTION AND SALE 107 



criollo cacao, which produces the plump, sweet beans 

 with the cinnamon " break." Cacao beans from Ceylon 

 or Java are easily recognised by their appearance, be- 

 cause, being washed, they have beautiful clean shells, 

 but there is a serious objection to washed shells, namely, 

 that they are brittle and as thin as paper, so that many 

 are broken before thev reach the manufacturer. Ceylon 

 is justly famous for its fine " old red " ; along with 



Bagging Cacao, Gold Coast. 



Reproduced by permission of the Editor of "West Africa." 



this a fair quantity of inferior cacao is produced, which 

 by being called Ceylon (such is the power of a good 

 name), tends to claim a higher price than its quality 

 warrants. 



CACAO MARKETS. 



From the Plantation to the European Market. 



It is mentioned above that on the Gold Coast cacao 

 is brought down to Accra as head-loads, or in barrels, 

 or in motor-lorries. These methods are exceptional ; 

 in other countries it is usually put in sacks at the estate. 

 Every estate has its own characteristic mark, which is 



