266 The Fermentation of Cacao 



Carelessly or insufficiently fermented beans 

 often obtain a better price than those which 

 have been properly cured. 1 



(3) The outer appearance of the bean seems 

 to have at least as much to do with the price 

 as the intrinsic quality. 



For this reason the investigations relative 

 to the fermentation of cacao and the experi- 

 ments to improve the quality of the beans 

 have been abandoned at the experimental 

 station in Victoria, Cameroons, since igog.' 2 



At the same time, or soon after writing the 

 foregoing remarks, Dr. Fickendey thus re- 

 viewed and discussed the situation generally, 

 as it occurred to him after scanning the various 

 essays which we had sent him. These did 

 not include Dr. Sack's, as his essay was not 

 received until some little time after I had 

 written to Dr. Fickendey, in the Cameroons. 



I have pleasure in acceding to the request 

 of the Editor of Tropical Life to make a few 

 remarks on the treatises in this book on cacao 

 fermentation. 



1 Because being of a more ''neutral" flavour it can 

 be used in mixtures or "foundation" cacao, where a 

 full flavoured bean would not do, as it would alter the 

 taste. H. H. S. 



2 Probably because that class of cacao, as shipped at 

 present, is able to compete successfully with the other 

 African kinds, or cacao from Bahia, San Domingo, &c., 

 and this discourages any systematic efforts to improve 



'the beans, especially as doing so would tend to reduce 

 the weight, and increase the cost of production. 

 H. H. S. 



