PREFACE. 



IN May, 1882, the writer's attention was specially attracted 

 to the subject of the cultivation of Cacao, by being called upon 

 while in the Jamaica Service, by Mr. Morris (now Dr. Morris, 

 C.M.G., &c., &c.), then Director of Public Gardens Plantations, 

 Jamaica, later, Assistant Director of Royal Gardens, Kew, and 

 now, Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture for the West Indies, 

 to assist him by the preparation of drawings and diagrams and 

 models of his Lecture on the cultivation and curing of Cacao, 

 delivered under the auspices of the Jamaica Institute. 



Dr. Morris previous to his lecture had paid an official visit 

 to Trinidad for the purpose of obtaining information relative to 

 the production of Cacao. The lecture was published in pamphlet 

 form and obtained a wide circulation, and has since been repub- 

 lished. The majority of facts, gathered in Trinidad by Dr. 

 Morris, were collated with his usual ability, and most of them 

 have stood the test of publicity, without encountering serious 

 contradiction. 



Being frequently applied to for information on the same 

 subject, I was induced to undertake the first edition of this work 

 for the purpose of satisfying such enquiries, and that being 

 exhausted, I have now the honour of presenting to the Public 

 a second issue. Over eleven years' service under the Jamaica 

 Government, during the latter* part of which I administered 

 the Botanical Department of that Island, and over thirteen 

 years in my present office, a total of over twenty-five years West 

 Indian service, all spent in Botanical work, will I hope fairly 

 entitle me to be heard on the subject. It is one to which I have 

 devoted close attention, and I am confident that full credit will 

 be given for the endeavonr to put into suitable and handy form, 

 information suitable to the beginner, suggestions acceptable to 

 the experienced, and matter of some interest to the general 

 reader. The prize essays on Fermentation printed as an 

 appendix to the first Edition have been omitted in the present 

 issue for various reasons, but the subject matter is dealt with 

 in Chap. vii. to which the reader is respectfully referred. 



J. H. HART, FL.S. 



