52 BOTANY AND NOMENCLATURE. 



After the lapse of some years I still see no necessity to 

 revise the list. 



Dr. Morris in (Cacao and how to cure it 1882)* made two 

 classes only, placing Calabacillo with Forastero. I retain the 

 original classification because it appears to me to cover well 

 all the various types which are present. Calabacillo is 

 certainly as far removed from Forastero, as Forastero is from 

 Criollo, as seen in Plantations of the present day, when every 

 intermediate form from Criollo down to Calabacillo can be seen 

 linking the whole in one continuous chain of varieties. To 

 properly classify Cacao, we must first know what the originals 

 were like, and it is clear that at the present time, it is hard to- 

 decide exactly what were the forms assumed by the older types 

 of Cacao fruit. There is an apparent consensus of opinion 

 however which points to the thin skimed and bottle necked 

 variety, as the original Criollo, f and this is quite confirmed by 

 the Criollo being discovered in the virgin* Forest of an uncultivated 

 part of Trinidad. Criollo has either yellow or red pods (red or 

 yellow coloring of the pod affects the interior but little and the 

 same quality of bean may be formed under both colour*, and the 

 feeeds when cut, show a ivhite or nearly colourless interior. This 

 character is also possessed by Java and Ceylon Cacao and by 

 the Criollo of Central America, and also by the produce of 

 Theoltroma pentagona. (Figs, x, Y, z.) 



Forastero Cacao of the best class also shews a light coloured 

 interior but slightly tinged with purple, but this increases until 

 in Calabacillo we have beans most highly coloured. 



Venezuelan Cacao from some of the finest Estates, such as- 

 Ocurnare and others can readily be distinguished by the lightness 

 of the colour of the interior of the bean and by the shape of the 

 bi'au although to all outside appearance, the pods belong to the 

 general type of Forastero. On Trinidad Estates, which have 

 introduced certain strains of Cacao from the Mainland, we 

 find what I consider is the finest class of Forastero Cacao. In 

 ordinary Cacao, pods mny be found illustrating the passage, by 

 almost imperceptible differences, from the Criollo on the one 



* " Cacao, How to grow and how to cure it." D. Morris (Jamaica, 

 1882) 



t Criollo Spanish for Creole. 



