xiv. The Fermentation of Cacao 



Cacao, and although I wish to consider them 

 in more detail before giving my final opinion, 

 I think I may fairly congratulate you on 

 having obtained information that will be 

 valuable to the cacao planter, and still more so, 

 perhaps, to the local merchants, to whom the 

 unfermented cacao is brought by the peasants. 

 The investigations should also have the effect 

 of inducing such of the peasant growers, who 

 have not hitherto attempted curing, to carry it 

 out on scientific lines, which can be easily 

 explained to them by the agricultural 

 instructors." 



On March 29, 1912, Mr. Fawcett finally 

 wrote : 



"The Essay 'A' (Mr. Hudson's and Dr. 

 Nicholls') is in two parts, one being written 

 from the point of view of the planter dealing 

 with the details of the curing in a practical 

 manner. The second part is a successful 

 attempt to ascertain the causes which induce 

 the changes in the character of the cacao bean 

 during fermentation, and to put curing on a 

 scientific basis that has been tested and proved 

 to be satisfactory, instead of trusting to empiri- 

 cal methods. 



" A marked improvement of low-grade cacao 

 would be noticed in the markets, if due regard 

 were paid to the principles laid down. This 

 would apply especially to the peasant pro- 

 prietors' cacao cured by merchants, and also to 

 the cacaos cured by small settlers themselves. 



