228 



COCOA 



CHAP. VII 



following figures, also from Surinam : 377 fruits, yielding 

 45 kilograms of fresh seeds, gave 15 kilograms of market- 

 able cocoa ; the loss being 66 per cent. 



In Trinidad the loss is estimated by Mr. Augustus, 

 the manager of the Government Cocoa Plantation 

 (" Kiver Estate "), to be 62 per cent. 



In Madagascar, according to Fauchere, 1600 fruits of 

 Criollo gave 100 kilograms of seeds and 40 kilograms of 

 cocoa, the loss thus being 60 per cent. 



In San Thome, according to Chevalier, 1000 fruits of 

 San Thome Creoulo gave 89 kilograms of fresh seeds 

 and 54 kilograms of cocoa, the loss being only 39 per 

 cent. This is exceptionally low, and it would be in- 

 teresting to know if this is really the average ; it can 

 hardly be correct that less than 20 fruits are sufficient 

 in San Thome to give 1 kilogram of cocoa. 



These different figures may be more easily compared 

 in the following form : 



Sorting. This process is neglected in several 

 countries where a cocoa of mediocre quality is produced. 

 Sometimes only a superficial sorting is performed, merely 

 to separate impurities and worthless beans from the 

 rest. In other countries, where the difference in price 

 between first and second quality is important, the cocoa 

 is carefully sorted into three or more classes (Fig. 79). 



Summary of methods. A short review of the 

 methods of fermentation and curing in use in the 

 various cocoa-growing countries may not be out of place. 



