l82 COCOA 



any other variety known, and because of this, and the 

 fact that this variety is both hardy and prolific, I think 

 it is peculiarly suited to the conditions prevailing on the 

 Gold Coast, and I consider it a lucky coincidence that 

 this should have been the variety first introduced. Other 

 types or varieties are under experimental cultivation on 

 the Government Agricultural Stations, but with the 

 exception of one a spontaneously produced hybrid 

 none of them seem to be so prolific or as profitable 

 as the ordinary type. The new variety, which I have 

 called " Cundeamor " because of its resemblance in 

 outward appearance to a Ceylon type of that name, seems 

 to be prolific and produces very much larger beans, 

 which have been pronounced of superior quality. This 

 variety is being largely sought after by the natives, and 

 in time considerable areas should be planted with it. 



On the Gold Coast, fermentation, although causing 

 additional labour, is in many ways a convenience to the 

 native. He prefers to go leisurely about his work, thus 

 fermentation is often unintentionally allowed to suit his 

 convenience. 



The process of fermentation originally adopted was to 

 spread plantain leaves on the ground in the plantation, 

 heap the cocoa beans thereon, and cover up the mass with 

 similar leaves. Many use large baskets in which the fresh 

 beans are placed. Wooden, and in some cases concrete, 

 chambers have been adopted latterly by not a few. The 

 cocoa is left for about a week, and the common error is 

 made not to turn the mass, which results in unequal 

 fermentation. 



The cocoa is dried on mats made of the mid-ribs of 

 palm leaves placed on a platform usually a few feet above 

 the ground. As the industry develops, however, a ten- 

 dency to spread the cocoa on the hard sun-baked roadway 

 becomes more apparent. This is a practice that has many 

 objections. 



Some of the larger farmers have latterly constructed 

 concrete drying yards in imitation of those adopted by 

 the merchants, thus showing a laudable desire to follow 

 an example which appeals to them, often regardless of 

 expense. 



