128 PLANTING IN UGANDA 



a process known as "dancing" the Cocoa. 

 " Dancing " is continued until all the beans have 

 a fine even coating of the clay. They are then 

 heaped for the day. This operation is again 

 commenced next day and continued until the beans 

 show a polished surface. Trinidad Cocoa has 

 been prepared in this way for many years, and 

 the results of this method of curing are known to 

 the market, and expected of Trinidad Cocoa. In 

 Uganda we possibly could not follow out the West 

 Indian method of preparation if we wished to, and 

 we are not advised to follow it. We are advised 

 to turn our attention to the production of washed 

 Cocoa. 



The proper time to allow for fermentation we 

 have yet to discover by experiment. ' ' In Trinidad 

 the time varies from four to ten days with different 

 kinds of Cocoa. The process is complete when the 

 testa or skin of the bean has assumed a brown 

 colour, and when on cutting the bean in halves the 

 cotyledons are found separated, and all the cavities 

 of the bean are occupied by the vinous liquor of 

 the pulp which has passed through the testa 

 during fermentation."* 



*" Cacao," by Hart, of Trinidad. 



