424 COCOA 



CHAP. 



(50 kilog.) of marketable cocoa, or 40 to 50 fruits for 



1 kilogram. Criollo and Forastero of fine type seem to 

 behave about the same in this respect. 



The Criollo is generally fermented during lj? days, 



2 days, or 2^ days ; every day the cocoa is turned over 

 once or twice. 



The Forastero cocoa is generally fermented a little 

 longer ; but here also the methods are not always the 

 same. 



The washing also is done in different ways. 



On one of the Criollo growing estates which makes 

 a produce of a very fine quality the following method 

 is used : 



First day : the cocoa is put in the fermentation box 

 at a bout three o'clock in the afternoon. Second day : 

 early in the morning it is turned over into the second 

 box, in the evening it is turned over into the third box. 

 Third day : the beans are washed in the morning, and in 

 the evening they are put in fresh water and left there 

 until the following morning, when they are washed 

 again and dried. 



Leaving the cocoa during a whole night in the 

 water is necessary, in order to wash off the rest of the 

 pulp which is still adhering in consequence of the short 

 fermentation (1^ days). 



When the Criollo is fermented one day longer, 

 washing once is sufficient ; but the longer fermenta- 

 tion gives a darker colour and often a less equable colour 

 of the produce. 



The following is the method more generally adopted : 

 The cocoa is turned over either once or twice a day. 

 Thus the cocoa placed in the afternoon of the first day 

 in the first box, is turned over in the morning of the 

 second day into the second box, the next morning into 

 the third box, and is removed in the morning of the fourth 

 day. It is well washed in running water, and dried. 



The Criollo is always fermented in large open boxes 

 in low heaps or layers. The temperature is not allowed 

 to rise above 50 or 55 C. 



