Dr. A. Schulte im Hofe 91 



experiments, I now experimented with larger 

 quantities of cacao in the chocolate factory 

 of Messrs. Theodor Hildebrand and Son. 

 These experiments showed that butyric acid 

 fermentation and the development of moulds 

 were unavoidable when the percentage- of 

 moisture was 20 per cent., and hence that 

 oxidation must be carried out at a lower 

 percentage of humidity than that. 



I also succeeded in these experiments, as I 

 had done in those conducted in the laboratory, 

 in reducing to a marked degree the bitter, 

 astringent taste so common to insufficiently 

 oxidized beans cured on the plantations, 

 thereby improving the flavour of the beans, 

 and increasing their market value. 



I take this opportunity of expressing my 

 thanks to Mr. Dresel for his valuable assist- 

 ance in the experiments conducted at Messrs. 

 Hildebrand's factory, for although the object 

 of my experiments and investigations was in 

 the main to obtain practical results, these can 

 only be obtained when the scientist and the 

 practical man work hand in hand. Hence, as 

 was also the case in previous experiments, I 

 have found it necessary, when investigating 

 for industrial reasons into the question of 

 fermentation, to obtain a personal knowledge 

 of the practical side of the matter, and to do 

 this I undertook technical practical work for 

 some time both in breweries and distilleries. 



My studies, which started in the Cameroons, 



