CACAS.-THEOBROMA ; 



Or, CHOCOLATE TREE. 



In Botany, of the Polyadelphia Decandria 

 Class : Natural Order ; Columnifera. 



THE generic name is derived from two Greek 

 words, signifying the food of the gods. 



The cacas, or chocolate-tree, is a native 

 of South America, and is said to have been 

 originally conveyed to Hispaniola from 

 some of the provinces of New Spain, where, 

 besides affording the natives a principal 

 part of their nourishment, it also serves 

 the purpose of money, 150 of the nuts, 

 (which are about the size of Windsor beans,) 

 being considered of the same value as a rial 

 by the Spaniards. 



It is not only an article of great internal 

 consumption, but for exportation it is one 

 of the most valuable fruits. Guthrie consi- 

 ders the cacas from which chocolate is made, 

 as the next considerable article in the na- 



