372 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



CACAO. 



THE Cacao, or Chocolate-tree, is known to botanists 

 by the name of Theobroma, signifying ' food for a 



fod,' and which name was bestowed upon it by 

 -.innaeus, to mark his opinion of the excellent quali- 

 ties of its seeds. Benzoni, who travelled in the six- 

 teenth century, formed a very different estimate of 

 its merits, and declared that chocolate was a drink 

 'fitter for a pig than for a man.' 



The Cacao-tree is carefully cultivated in many of 

 the settlements in Spanish America, and particularly 

 in Mexico, where, we learn from Humboldt, it was 

 extensively reared so long ago as the time of Monte- 

 zuma ; and whence, indeed, it was transplanted into 

 other dependencies of the Spanish monarchy. The 

 names whereby the plant, and the food prepared 

 from its seeds, are recognized in the present time, 

 are both derived from the Mexican language ; the 

 former being called by that people, cacava quahuitl, 

 and the latter chocolatl. The seeds of the cacao 

 were made use of as money in Mexico, in the time 

 of the Aztec kings, and this use of them is still 

 partially continued, the smaller seeds being employed 

 for the purpose. The lowest denomination of coined 

 money current in Mexico is of the value of about 

 sixpence ; and as there must arise many petty 

 transactions of business to a lower amount, the con- 

 venience of these seeds, six of which are reckoned 

 as of the value of one halfpenny, must needs be very 

 great. 



The cacao-tree seldom rises above the height of 

 twenty feet ; its leaves are large, oblong, and pointed. 

 The flowers, which are small, and of a pale red co- 

 lour, spring from the large branches ; they are suc- 

 ceeded by oval pointed pods, that contain a white 

 pithy substance, which is sweet, but disagreeable, and 



