28 The Fermentation of Cacao 



in order to reduce the period of fermenta- 

 tion, nevertheless it is as well to keep as much 

 as possible within the limits of 28 to 35 C., 

 as occasionally at 38 to 42 C. an inferior 

 colouring is obtained. That an even tempera- 

 ture should exist as far as possible through the 

 whole mass to ensure the production of a 

 uniform quality goes without saying. It does 

 not seem difficult to determine whether access 

 of air or its total exclusion is more favourable 

 for the process of fermentation (supposing that 

 the penetration of organisms from the air is 

 stopped), as neither in trial 3 nor 6 were the 

 best qualities throughout obtained. 



On the other hand, it is less easy to say 

 whether it is more advisable to let the existing 

 fluid drain away as it forms, or let it remain 

 about the fermented be.ans. If the trials 3 and 

 7, and 2 and 5, are compared, the latter, which 

 were fermented " wet," turned out considerably 

 better. On the other hand, trial 6 shows that 

 the non-removal of the liquid, together with the 

 exclusion of air, yields very lean cacao. Finally, 

 as regards the duration of the entire fermen- 

 tation, special trials were made. Samples of 

 trials i, 2, and 3, which were fermented ten 

 days, all showed too dark an inner and outer 

 colour, but with a five to six days' fermentation 

 at the low temperature stated, the cacao was 

 found to be normal. General rules for the 

 duration of the processes cannot be given, as 

 the time is governed, even more than the other 



