66 



CACAO. THEOBROMA ; 



OR, CHOCOLATE TREE. 



Natural order, Columnifer<e. Agenus of the Polyadelphia 

 Decandria class. 



THE generic name is derived from scov Bpc3|u,a, signify- 

 ing the food of the gods. 



Coles, who wrote in 1657, and is one of the best etymo- 

 logical herbalists that we have been able to consult, says 

 " It is called by the West Indians, amongst whom it was 

 first knowne, and not in any part of the Christian world 

 till after the discovery of America, Cacao or Cacavate, 

 besides which name it hath received none, either Greek or 

 Latin ; in English it is called, the pear-bearing wholesome 

 almond-tree : the confection wherein the Cacao is the 

 maine ingredient, is in the Indian language called Choco- 

 late, being compounded of Ate as some say, or as others, 

 Atle, which in the Mexican language signifieth water, and 

 Choco the noise that the water (wherein the chocolate is 

 put) maketh when it is stirred in a cup, until it bubbles 

 and rises into a froth. It may be called, in English, a 

 compounded or confectioned drink, yet it is better known 

 by the names of Chocolate and Chocoletto." The native 

 Mexicans call this tree Cucuhua guahuitl, and the Spaniards 

 Cacastal. 



The cacao, or chocolate-tree, is a native of South 

 America, and is said to have been originally conveyed to 



