COCOA I/I 



experiment, pods were allowed to stay on the tree six 

 weeks after they were ripe. When placed in the sweat- 

 box the beans rapidly started to ferment, and after 

 twenty-four hours were at least 10 F. warmer than the 

 normal. After this the temperature was normal. The 

 beans produced were large and plump, but the shells 

 were crisp and fragile. When roasted the product was 

 inferior to ordinary cacao. The friability of the shell is 

 also an objection to over-ripe cacao. The danger with 

 over-ripe pods is that the beans may have commenced 

 to germinate. One objectionable result of this is that 

 when they are dried the germ frequently produces a hole 

 in the shell, which opens a way for attack by mould and 

 grubs. 



Germinated Beans. Beans which have germinated 

 (whether by being left in the pods till very much over- 

 ripe or scattered on the ground by squirrels that have 

 attacked the pods) give on roasting a very inferior 

 product, with a herbal odour and an astringent taste. 

 The product is so unlike cocoa that the presence of even 

 a small percentage of germinated beans exercises a 

 marked deteriorating effect on the quality of any goods 

 in which such cacao is used, hence we regard the presence 

 of germinated beans as particularly objectionable. 



Unfermented Cacao. We understand that unfermented 

 cacao finds purchasers, but fermented cacao always 

 obtains a higher price (usually about 45. per cwt. more 

 than the unfermented). The reason for this is that 

 unfermented beans produce a cocoa inferior in colour, 

 odour, and flavour. Partially fermented beans suffer 

 from the same defects. On some plantations one day's 

 picking is put on the top of the previous day's picking, 

 and uneven fermentation is the result. In some cacaos 

 one finds "cobs" (two or more beans stuck together); 

 their presence is regarded as an indication of careless 

 preparation, and certainly such beans cannot be pro- 

 perly fermented. We think there is usually little danger 

 of over- fermentation, but where this occurs the shell 

 may get so loose that it becomes broken in carriage and 

 handling. 



In particular we would point out that cacao can be 



