PROPERTIES OF CHOCOLATE. 77 



zuma, when the seeds were used as money, as they now are. Some 6 

 or 8 are of the value of a penny. The trees are raised from seeds and 

 do not bear under 6 years. Some Mexicans raise 5000 Ibs. of cacao 

 seeds annually in their gardens. 



The flavoring ingredients are commonly vanilla, cloves and cinnamon, 

 and sometimes annotto, musk, annise and ambergris. An analysis of 

 the kernel gives 53 per cent, of fat or oil, 17 brown albumenous mat- 

 ter, which contains the aroma of the kernel, 11 starch and 8 of gum 

 or mucilage. The husks afford 12 per cent, by weight of the kernel, 

 but they have no fat or oil, being mostly mucilage and lignin. There 

 are two principal crops annually. The Indians make a kind of bread 

 of it ; thus making it food and drink. When fresh and pulpy, the 

 kernels may be eaten like other fruit ; but when dry they are export- 

 ed in bags. When ground and made into paste, it is formed into cakes 

 in hot tin moulds, and this is afterwards the chocolate of the shops. If 

 kept free from the air, it may be preserved for some time, though not 

 over two years. It is always best when new and is very agreeable and 

 nutritive to healthy persons. It would be less objectionable, however, 

 if the vanilla and some other flavors were omitted. But much of the 

 chocolate sold at the shops has little of the properties of the genuine 

 article. It is made to froth by the addition of soap. It is the opinion 

 that much of it is made with half cacao and the remainder of flour and 

 Castile soap, especially in England and the United States. In Mexico 

 and Spain, where the article is genuine, it is almost indispensable at 

 breakfast and is considered an object of prime necessity. It is also 

 greatly esteemed in France. The chocolale of Caraccas is considered 

 the best. 



A white oily matter is obtained from the seed by bruising and boil- 

 ing them. The oil rises to the surface where it congeals. This is called 

 the butter of cacao and, when fresh it has a very mild taste, and is used 

 in pomatums. An oil is also obtained from the nuts or shells, some- 

 times used in medicine. The best chocolate dissolves entirely when 

 heated, even in the sun and without water. 



The thin shell of the cacao nut is ground like coffee and boiled, 

 yielding a beverage resembling that made of the kernel. It is economi- 

 cal and wholesome, but less rich than the oleous compound. The 

 shells are extensively imported into Europe and this country. In 

 1806 the consumption of cacao in Europe was estimated at 23 million 

 Ibs., of which from six to eight millions were consumed in Spain. The 

 amount thus imported of husks and shells by G. Britain in 1840 was 

 384,842 Ibs. and of cacao 4,096,409 Ibs. The value of cacao import- 

 ed into the U. States in 1840 was $161,389 and the amount of choco- 

 late manufactured here was $79,500. 



T. Cacao Smooth-leafed chocolate tree leaves entire, alternate, 

 7* 



