278 The Fermentation of Cacao 



and the methods employed to induce fer- 

 mentation in cacao, there still remains a diffi- 

 cult but important point to be solved, viz., 

 the recognition of the chemical changes that 

 take place during the fermentation and drying, 

 and of the intermediary and final substances 

 formed during the process. It would still be 

 too risky, before even the composition of the 

 fresh cacao bean in its various parts is fully 

 known, to wish to advance chemical hypo- 

 theses about the processes and changes that 

 take place during the process of fermentation ; 

 but it is 'very probable that, later on, the 

 chemist will play an important part in the 

 preparation of cacao on the estates. 



tf Although the above was written nearly 

 thirteen years ago, I am afraid that I have 

 not much to say now, as the chemical side of 

 the problem, on which I touched towards the 

 end of my essay, has so far not been elucidated 

 by any new researches. This is, in my opinion, 

 a pity, because in cacao (as well as in coffee) 

 fermentation the chemical changes in the 

 beans are certainly most important factors for 

 those who are striving to improve the market 

 quality of the produce and prices to be obtained 

 by it, whilst ignorance of the nature of these 

 changes makes further improvement of the 

 planters' present methods difficult. 



"Nevertheless, I would suggest that the 

 question of cacao-yeast cultivation, which has 

 been examined by several of the authors, 



