36 



occasion another slight heating or sweating, and makes the beans 

 swell better. Yet these heaps should again be turned, two or 

 three hours after they have been removed from the sun into the 

 sheds, that they may not sweat too much and become musty. 

 It the cacao has had a blazing sun in the drying house and 

 this turning be neglected, the cacao is apt to begin sweating 

 immediately. 



The cacao first gathered is generally allowed to sweat one 

 day longer, because the stove or hothouse, when thoroughly 

 cleaned and aired after its previous use, does not promote 

 fermentation and therefore the proper exudation required for 

 the cacao. ! ) 



!) When the tiees bear very abundantly, especially in view of the incon- 

 stancy of the weather, it is advisable to chop off the ripe nuts from the trees, 

 to let them lie in heaps on the beds in the field, and not to break them open 

 till three or four days after. In this manner the beans absorb to themselves 

 the greater part of their juices, improve thus in quality, undergo a natural 

 heating, and require less sun for drying. Such beans are consequently the best 

 for planting. 



This way is also more profitable for the measuring of the labour, as in 

 the usual way there is much refuse in the freshly gathered cacao, while in 

 the above way the measuring tub will hold more. 



Good ripe cacao has less juice than the half ripe. In view of the advantage 

 attached to this, the cacao should never be plucked but when perfectly ripe, 

 so easily perceptible by its deep orange colour. 



Cacao plucked unripe is much more difficult to dry and has besides an 

 unpleasant bitter taste. 



