36 



FERMENTATION. 



important subject, A partial analysis by Professor McCarthy 

 appeared in one of the annual reports of the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens some years ago whion simply gave the constituents of 

 the fresh bean, but nothing further was forthcoming until in 

 1897 Professor J. B. Harrison, M.A., Government Analyst 

 of British Guiana, took up the question and performed a lengthy 

 series of analyses, which have afforded a very large amount of 

 valuable information. Professor Harrison has been good enough 

 to allow me to make use of this information and it appears, as 

 recently revised by himself, in the chapter which deals with the 

 Agricultural Chemistry of Cacao. (Chapter 12.) 



These analyses show clearly the constituents of the fermented 

 and unfermented bean, and the changes caused by the operation. 



It is clearly desirable, in the interests of a Country produc- 

 ing 20,000,000 fibs, of Cacao per annum, to know the basis of the 

 methods of fermentation which are in use, and the changes 

 which occur in the product ; and ths planter will find interesting 

 information on these points in Professor Harrison's work. 



Professor McCarthy's analysis, ran as follows : " In two 

 ordinary varieties of Cacao lately analysed fresh from the pod, 

 the fat in one was only 18% while in the other it was over 28%, 

 Theobromine being in nearly the same proportions." 



A set of analyses are to be found in the pages of Tropical 

 Agriculture by P. L. Siinmonds, but these, as the author states, 



are not flattering to Chemical science. 



An analysis by Professor Church in " Food" 

 Kensington Science Hand-book) runs as follows : 



In 100 parts. In i ft. 



Water ... 5-0 



Albuminoids 17-0 



Fat ... 51-0 



Tbsobromine 1-5 



Cacao Red... 30 



Gum, etc. ... 10 9 



Cellulose and lignose 8 - o 



Mineral matter ... 3-6 



(South 



0-350 grs, 



2-315 ,. 



8070 



0-105 .f 



0'2IO 



I-326 



1'122 tt 



o 252 



Professor McCarthy found 18 and 28 per cent, of 

 fatty matter in two samples of fresh Cacao but this 

 apparently might represent an amount of 50 per cent, in the 

 cured bean, in consequence of the removal of moisture and the 

 pulp and mucilage from the outside of the bean, which material 

 goes to make up a large proportion of weight, and would reduce 

 the percentage of fat in proportion to the total weight of freak 

 bean. 



