70 AGRICULTURE IN THE TROPICS [PT. II 



The general principles of the cultivation of cacao are much 

 the same in all countries, and therefore the methods followed in 

 Ceylon, whose cacao in general obtains the highest prices, may 

 be described here, with notes on the important points of differ- 

 ence in other countries. 



Cacao is a small tree or large shrub, from 12 to 25 feet in 

 height, and much branched. It has large leaves, which when 

 young are reddish in colour, and hang downwards. It flowers 

 in vast profusion, not on the twigs, as one would expect, but 

 upon very short branches produced on the old and stout stems. 

 The flowers are succeeded by a considerable number of oval 

 reddish, greenish, or yellowish fruits, about 6 to 11 inches long, 

 with rather fleshy outer walls, and containing about 30 bean- 

 like seeds, each enclosed in a mucilaginous outer coat. 



There are numerous varieties of cacao in existence, but these 

 may in general be classed under two main types, conveniently 

 known by their Spanish names of Criollo and Forastero 1 . The 

 former are characterised by plump pale-coloured seeds of fine 

 quality, making up a large bulk in comparison with the external 

 size of the pod, the shell being relatively thin. The tree itself 

 is usually small and somewhat delicate. On account of the 

 pale colour, these seeds are specially valued in Europe and 

 America for the manufacture of eating chocolate, and consider- 

 ably higher prices are paid for them than for the Forastero. 

 The very high prices obtained for many years by the Ceylon 

 cacao were due mainly to its being the seed of this variety, and 

 now that it has been very largely replaced by Forastero, the 

 average prices of Ceylon cacao have gone down. 



The term Forastero includes all the varieties other than the 

 Criollos. The chief ones, in descending order of merit, are 

 Cundeamor, Liso or Trinitario, Amelonado, and Calabacillo. 

 The seeds of these varieties are more or less purple in colour, 

 and the shell of the fruit is thicker and harder. In consequence 

 of the purple colour, the seeds sell for lower prices, but this is 

 to some extent made up by the better and hardier growth. 



1 Lock, R. H., On the varieties of Cacao existing in the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens and Experiment Station at Peradeniya, Circ. & A. J., R. B. G., 

 Peradeniya, n, 24 Oct. 1904, p. 385. 



