326 COCOA 



CHAP. 



and more unlike the original type and approach to the 

 native variety. Especially trees which are left to 

 themselves are said to take the characters of the 

 general type more rapidly than well- cared -for trees. 



The common variety in San Thome as well as in 

 Principe and in all West Africa is named " Creoulo " 

 by the Portuguese (not to be confounded with the Creollo 

 of Venezuela and Java) (see Fig. 31). According to 

 De Almada Negreiros it originates from Bahia in Brazil. 

 In 1822 the first seeds were received. Chevalier believes 

 that this type has been grown for a long time in the 

 Spanish colonies in West Africa and has spread from 

 these. When ripe, the pods are lemon-yellow, 15 to 

 18 cm. (6 to 7 inches) long, egg-shaped, mostly a little 

 constricted towards the basis, and with a blunt apex. 

 They have indistinct furrows and are smooth or a 

 little rough. The fruit-wall is rather thin, the seeds 

 are numerous; they are very flat, about 21 mm. long, 

 11 to 13 mm. broad, and 7 to 8 mm. thick. 



This type has generally yellow pods and is then 

 called " Creoulo amarillo," while the " Creoulo Colorado " 

 with red pods is less frequent. 



The second variety is the variety which Chevalier 

 calls Theobroma sphaerocarpa. The Portuguese call it 

 "Cacao caranja" or "Carupano" or "Cacao amarillo 

 redondo." This fruit is distinguished by small yellow 

 pods ; though ribs are present it is on the whole globular. 

 It is said to be a native of Venezuela, and not infre- 

 quently met with twenty-five years ago. Yet it never 

 takes up more than one-tenth of the plantations and is 

 said to fail in the rogas of the South. There are different 

 opinions about the value of this variety. Some are 

 afraid that the San Thome cocoa would deteriorate 

 when this species would be grown in large numbers 

 because the beans are small and bitter. Others, how- 

 ever, say that the product is not inferior to the Creoulo 

 if the trees have a good soil : moreover, they give a 

 larger yield. 



Several varieties of Forastero occur also, and prob- 



