56 BOTANY AND NOMENCLATURE. 



Red Cacao, also called Caracas." (Ceylon Report, 1890.) He 

 allows however that the Forastero sent from Trinidad to Ceylon, 

 is gradually changing character and " becoming more like the 

 " old Ceylon Red." 



It is probable that Dr. Trimen was quite correct in 

 repudiating the name, for if the " white seeded" wild variety is 

 the ancient Criollo ; then many of our present day forms are 

 intermediate between that and Typical Forastero. That a 

 change of character from distinct forms is possible is admitted, 

 and moreover our best botanists do not find sufficient distinctive 

 characters (notwithstanding the differences in the form, size and 

 colour of fruit, leaf and tree) to make more than one species of 

 all our cultivated varieties; which as Dr. Trimen truly says, 

 probably trace their origin to a common wild parent. 



Dr. de Verteuil, now Sir L, A. A. De Verteuil, K.C.M.G., 

 tells us in his work on Trinidad 1884 p. 242" That from its 

 first settlement Trinidad exported Cacao, and that Cacao soon 

 gained a reputation on account of its delicious aroma. According 

 to Gumilla it was superior to that of Caracas and other places, 

 so much so that the crops were bought and paid for beforehand." 



"In the year 1727 however, a terrible epidemic spread in 

 the Cacao plantation" and complete ruin followed. 



The nature of this epidemic is indicated, for Sir Louis 

 states " the trees were apparently healthy and vigorous, the 

 " flowering abundant, giving fruits but none of them came to 

 " maturity as the young pods dried up before full growth." 



It is of course impossible to decide exactly what this 

 disease really was, but the presence on the plantations of to-day 

 of a disease* which might be similarly described, leads to the 

 inference that it was of fungus origin and similar if not identical 

 with that recently identified. 



" Thirty years later, some Aragonese Capuchin Fathers 

 " were successful in their attempt to revive the culture of Cacao 

 " in the Island. They imported from the continent a new 

 " species (variety J. H. H.) the Forastero Cacao which, though 

 " giving a produce of inferior quality was nevertheless promptly 

 " propagated as being hardier, that is the Cacao at present 

 " cultivated in the Island." 



The characteristics of Criollo cacao are the thinness of the 

 shell of the pod its rounded beans and pale colour of the interior 

 of the bean on section. The leaves of the tree are small when 



* Discussed in a later chapter. 



