390 COCOA 



CHAP. 



This method is, however, not generally followed, and 

 the way of fermenting adopted by the majority of the 

 natives is still more primitive. They simply put the 

 fresh beans into little heaps in a more or less sheltered 

 place. Now and then these heaps are turned over, but 

 neither fermenting nor drying is done with any care. 

 It will easily be understood that the fermentation 

 obtained in this way is very poor, and the cocoa is very 

 subject to moulding when lying in heaps, and also later 

 when ready for sale. This is not to be wondered at, 

 for the juicy pulp which surrounds the seeds is only 

 incompletely removed, in consequence of the insufficient 

 fermentation. 



Still, when a little care is given, the cocoa is easily 

 dried in this country where the rainfall is not so great, 

 the sun-heat is always sufficient, and artificial drying is 

 not necessary. 



The result of the imperfect curing is a product of 

 inferior quality. Insufficiently fermented, not washed, 

 more or less slightly moulded, and insufficiently selected, 

 the product of the Gold Coast, known on the market 

 as " Accra Cocoa," fetches, speaking generally, only low 

 prices. 



The cocoa is sold by the natives in small quantities 

 of 4 to 5 kilograms to the agencies of the commercial 

 houses. Here the cocoa is dried a second time and 

 packed in barrels, which contain about 1000 kilograms. 

 These are rolled to Accra and shipped to Europe. 

 Almost the whole of the product is shipped from Accra ; 

 only small quantities are shipped from the ports of 

 Winneba, Saltpond, and Cape Coast. 



As mentioned, the Government made a beginning, 

 under Sir William Brandford Griffith, and with the 

 view of encouraging agriculture the Botanic Station of 

 Aburi was established. 



Afterwards the Gold Coast Department of Agri- 

 culture was established, which has under its control 

 four agricultural stations, viz. : 



(1) The Aburi Botanic and Agricultural Station 



