Dr. A. Schulte im Hole 81 



oxidized, or, as it is commonly called, over- 

 fermented, and thereby deteriorates in quality. 

 After the completion of this oxidation process, 

 the leaves are immediately dried, and the tea is 

 ready for use. 



The changes occurring during the oxidation 

 of the tea-leaves entirely correspond, as I show 

 later on, with what takes place in cacao-fermen- 

 tation. Here the beans, having been removed 

 from the fruit, are packed in casks or boxes or 

 thrown into heaps. After a short time has 

 elapsed alcoholic fermentation sets in, causing 

 the beans to become heated. In order that 

 uniform fermentation may be secured all the 

 beans should be equally brought into contact 

 with the air. To ^achieve this they are trans- 

 ferred from one box into the next, or the heaps 

 are well turned over with a shovel. As a rule 

 acetic fermentation has already commenced to 

 set in on the second day, owing to which the 

 alcohol formed from the sugar is converted into 

 acetic acid. This is accompanied by a further 

 rise of temperature, the shell of the bean be- 

 comes detached (stirbt ab) from the cotyledons 

 and the acid penetrates into the kernel or 

 cotyledons-. In the case of beans having 

 bluish-violet cotyledons, the colour is changed 

 by the action of the acid to reddish- violet. 1 



1 Dr. A. Schulte im Hofe : " Das Wesen und der 

 Zweck der Kakao-fermentation," Der Twpenpflanzer, 

 1900, p. 227. 



