80 COCOA 



CHAP. 



a smooth skin being a Forastero characteristic, the 

 Porcelaine variety must have been caused by a mixing 

 with Forastero. This is most improbable, because the 

 Porcelaine has no other Forastero characteristics, and 

 moreover it was present in Java before the Forastero 

 was introduced. 



II. FORASTERO 



While the countries where true Criollo is to be 

 found are only few, the Forastero is grown in all the 

 cocoa-growing countries, either together with Criollo 

 (Venezuela, Java, Ceylon, Nicaragua, Samoa, Mada- 

 gascar), or alone in different sub-varieties (Ecuador, 

 San Thome, Trinidad, Gold Coast, Surinam, Antilles, 

 etc.). And while Criollo is very uniform, having, aside 

 from local types, only two varieties, the true Criollo 

 and the unimportant Porcelaine, Forastero is a col- 

 lective name for a great number of sub -varieties. 



It has already been pointed out that it is difficult 

 to make a clear classification of the sub-varieties of the 

 Forastero group, owing to the fact that the different 

 characteristics are present in the various types in all 

 sorts of combinations. Whether this is a consequence 

 of hybridisation or variation (mutation), or the influence 

 of local conditions, has not been investigated ; but since 

 von Faber has proved that trees standing, close together 

 can easily be pollinated by each other, it is very likely 

 that this mixture of types has been caused by hybridisa- 

 tion. We have therefore probably to regard a great 

 number of types of Forastero as hybrids of different 

 Forastero varieties, and an equally large group as 

 hybrids of Criollo with varieties of Forastero. 



This view is supported by the fact, observed both 

 in Venezuela and in Java, that the offspring of inferior 

 types of Forastero planted in Criollo fields have distinct 

 Criollo characteristics, and show therefore a marked 

 improvement over the mother tree. Amelonado with 

 small, flat, bitter seeds planted between Criollo gave 



