The Cacao- Tree* 



The Cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) belongs to the family of the 

 Buttncriaceae and is a native of the tropical regions of America, 

 though now found also in many parts of Asia and Africa. It 

 is said that hitherto the best sorts of cacao come to us from 

 the coasts of Caracas. The cacao-tree, under proper care, 

 attains to a very high age and increases annually in produc- 

 tiveness. Wild, or when neglected, it dies away earlier, as will 

 be described later on. The stem sometimes grows to the height 

 of 10 M. ; the bark is of a silvery brown; the young leaves, of 

 a purplish tint, deepening in time to a dark green ; they have 

 a short petiole, are oblong, tapering, entire, and provided with 

 deciduous, setaceous stipules. The flowers proceed from the 

 branches and stem in close furcated clusters, outside the axil ; 

 they are hermaphrodital, regular (actinomorphous), and consist 

 of 5 lanceolate pink sepals, 5 petals with a cup-shaped unguis, 

 a spatulate, dentated blade, and 10 stamens (5 true and 

 5 false) united below into a broad membranous ring; the 

 fertile ones are short and topped with a four-celled anther, 

 the sterile ones appear as slender subulate lobes. 



The ovary is superous, five-celled, bears I style with 5 

 stigmas, and has in each part 2 rows of ovules. The mature 

 fruits, which are not by far so numerous as the flowers were, 



