352 COCOA 



CHAP. 



are detached and spread. The long but light wooden rake for 

 stirring purposes becomes handier and more useful from the time 

 the cacao beans have obtained their slack or faded stage. 

 Stirring becomes then less frequent, and the person engaged can 

 start the gradual sifting and more minute cleaning of the beans 

 so as to have them cleaned throughout and in the best manner 

 possible before their dancing or trampling, and which must only 

 take place two or three days before the required state of complete 

 drying is attained. 



The beans are then formed into heaps, averaging six to eight 

 barrels each, and while they are being heaped up they are gradually 

 sprinkled over with clear and clean water at the rate of about 

 nine gallons to every six barrels or Heap, till the whole heap has 

 become slippery in itself and clammy. 



The trampling with the naked feet is started at this stage, 

 beginning at the top centre of the heap with two or three persons 

 till the gang can be increased to six or seven persons women, 

 boys, and men who must be kept within the centre of the ring 

 formed by the gradual sinking and spreading of the cacao heap. 

 The object of this restrained trampling is to add and promote 

 both rubbing and friction amongst the cacao beans without 

 allowing their mass to become disconnected, and thus avoid all 

 material cracking or breaking of the beans. This compactness 

 can be easily maintained with the aid of an ordinary bass broom, 

 while the wooden cacao shovel must only be used when the time 

 has arrived for the gradual upturning and shovelling in under 

 the feet of the tramplers the external self-formed cacao ring. 

 This stage can be easily detected as soon as the central mass be- 

 comes of a glossy appearance, which is followed by a gradual 

 cracking-like noise from the beans while being trampled. The 

 thorough and proper dancing of a cacao heap of the bulk and 

 sizes here stated will occupy from fifty to sixty minutes and 

 seldom less. Its attainment of perfection is indicated by an even 

 gloss and polish throughout the whole mass ; and, thanks also to 

 the elasticity then acquired, it will be found that the beans have 

 become rounder in shape, besides proving slippery and recal- 

 citrant to a second compact gathering or heaping up of their 

 mass. 



The beans are then spread over the dry portion of the tray, 

 while the damp trampled area is being scraped and air- or sun- 

 dried. The trampling proves more effective and less wasteful in 

 water, etc., if done under cover or with the roof closed. 



Soon after spreading or after a few hours of exposure the 

 last and final sifting is proceeded with by the one person 

 left in charge of the tray after dancing, and when the beans are 



