CACAO. 71 



cerning this tree ; and among others, the appearance of a 

 comet was always considered as fatal to the cacao planta- 

 tion. Lunan. 



It is from the wood of this tree that our most esteemed 

 German flutes have for some years past been made, as 

 they are not so subject to swell by using as those made 

 from Box-wood ; which swelling often causes a variation 

 of half a note, as after being played on for a short time the 

 tone becomes sharper. The cacao flutes have also an ob- 

 jectionable quality, viz. as they are subject to crack by use, 

 and will not stand the breath of different persons. A 

 respectable professor of this instrument, among other 

 instances, informed us of a gentleman who after having 

 played on a cacao flute for seven years without accident, 

 sold it to a friend, by whose breath alone three joints 

 were split, in the course of a few months practice. 



The chocolate-tree was grown in our stoves as early as 

 the year 1739. 



Chocolate-nuts will not retain their growing faculty 

 long after they are taken from the trees, so that there is 

 no possibility of transporting them to any great distance for 

 planting : they are, therefore, generally planted in boxes 

 of earth when transported to Europe. They may also be 

 encreased by cuttings. Naturalists observe that the germ 

 of these nuts or almonds is placed in the large end, 

 whereas the common almond is placed in the small end. 



Although it is thought that grafting would improve this 

 fruit, we believe it has never been attempted. 





