Dr. Axel Preyer 25 



shell should be hard, crisp, and easily detached 

 from the kernel ; the latter must be hard, light 

 coloured, and easily broken under pressure. 

 A light chocolate or cinnamon colour, combined 

 with even break, are signs of the highest 

 quality. It can also be added that a cinnamon- 

 coloured shell is also much to be desired, and 

 an aromatic, not bitter, taste for the kernel." 



The results of the fermentation trials which 

 were undertaken with equal quantities of fresh 

 cacao beans in large glass cylinders are re- 

 capitulated on pp. 26 and 29 in the form of 

 a small table. 



Whatever, in the first place, may be the 

 cause of the inoculation of the unfermented 

 mass with bacilli, it can be seen that the unin- 

 oculated lots, Nos. i and 4, developed a sourish 

 smell during the fermentation, a rapid growth 

 of bacteria, and, after drying the beans, a sour 

 and bitter taste as well as an irregular or un- 

 even inner colour or break. Referring to the 

 temperature, I wished to ascertain the highest 

 point up to which the cacao beans can be 

 heated and still give a good article. In this 

 experiment the peculiar circumstance mani- 

 fested itself, that on the third day the outer 

 colour was spoilt " scorched "-whilst the 

 pulp all through was not properly loosened, 

 and could only be washed very badly. In the 

 lower temperature, 23 to 26 C. (air tempera- 

 ture), excellent results were achieved. A slight 

 heating at all events seems to be desirable, 



