vii FERMENTATION AND DRYING 211 



fermentation lasts 3^ days ; this is especially the case 

 on estates which cultivate Java Forastero. 



Fermenting floors are also used in Ceylon, the cocoa 

 being shovelled on to them in heaps. 



In Venezuela a short fermentation of only one day 

 is given, either in a box or simply by making a heap of 

 the cocoa and covering it with banana leaves. 



Photo. Hisgen, supplied by the late Mr. C. MacGillavry. 

 FIG. 68. Fermenting boxes, plantation "Djati Koenggo," Java. 



The variety cultivated here is the Forastero (" Djati Roenggo Hybrid "). The fermentation 

 lasts 3 days, and the beans are turned over into the next box every day. From the last box 

 the beans are shovelled into the washing basin (Fig. 69). 



In Ecuador, again, the beans are not subjected to 

 any special fermentation, but are dried immediately 

 after picking and breaking. It is possible that a slight 

 fermentation may set in during the night, after the 

 beans have been heaped together at sunset. 



It is often stated that the fermentation has a great 

 influence upon the quality of the product ; and in some 

 countries where a cocoa of rather inferior quality is 



