244 The Fermentation of Cacao 



especially is this the case when using new 

 boxes. If on these occasions a bacteriological 

 examination is made, it will always be found 

 that there is a preponderance of other organ- 

 isms and a scarcity of yeasts. 



Again, occasionally the cacao nearest the 

 sides of the boxes blackens ; an examination 

 of this shows a large number of fungi and 

 bacteria which have invaded the material, and 

 consequently the yeast cells are degenerating 

 and being broken up. 



A large amount of unsweated cacao is 

 placed upon the market ; most of this comes from 

 peasants and petty proprietors. It is bought 

 by the merchants from these people in a moist, 

 rather dirty condition with much of the 

 saccharine pulp still adherent to it. In most 

 cases it will not sweat when subjected to the 

 usual procedures. 



A proper and thorough fermentation can 

 always be started by employing cultures of 

 yeasts ; sweating will proceed as well in new 

 boxes as in old, and even a properly cured 

 sample can be obtained from peasant's cacao, 

 provided too much of the saccharine pulp has 

 not been removed. 



It can be shown by carefully excluding other 

 organisms that "wild" yeasts, and these only, 

 are all the organisms which are required for 

 the production of a proper fermentation in 

 cacao. 



Instead of trusting to chance to bring the 



