Dr. A. Schulte im Hce TOJ 



than by the usual method of sweating boxes 

 at present in use. As soon as the acetic acid 

 has penetrated sufficiently into the cotyledons, 

 fermentation should be interrupted, as other- 

 wise super-acidification may supervene. 



The object of the second process is to 

 produce oxidation of the astringent substances 

 contained in the beans, -in order to remove 

 the unpleasant, acrid, bitter taste, and simul- 

 taneously to develop the aroma, &c. Since 

 an increased temperature favours this process, 

 the beans must be warmed. Further, the 

 advent of air to the interior of the beans must 

 be facilitated ; this is achieved by drying the 

 latter. 



From what' has been said above, it will 

 probably be sufficiently plain that this division 

 of the so-called cacao fermentation into two 

 sections, viz., an alcoholic and acetic acid 

 fermentation and a subsequent oxidation, is 

 something quite new, and rests on a scientific 

 basis. It will also be seen that the preparation 

 of a good quality cacao is based on a correct 

 carrying out of both processes. 



Some gentlemen, who visited the Boa 

 Entrada estate in San Thome after I had 

 introduced this method of oxidizing the dried 

 beans at higher temperatures, criticized the 

 process as being empirical and too trouble- 

 some. This merely proves that they looked 

 upon the oxidation chambers erected there 

 as an essential part of the method, but did 



