CAOAO OR COCOA. 



27 



these places in the event of rain, and at night covered with portable wooden 

 frames, which are readily removed by two men. In this way the cacao Avould 

 be dried in a fifth of the time much more effectually, and of a brighter colour. 



Any experiments tending to bring about a proper system of cultivation and 

 manufacture of cacao, must be beneficial to the island, as well as to individuals ; 

 for it cannot be denied that the cultivation of cacoa will still prove advanta- 

 geous in proportion to the care bestowed on it. Indeed its cultivation is at 

 present languishing, not so much from inadequate prices, as from a \vant of 

 proper attention to its cultivation." 



In 1796, there were sixty plantations in Trinidad, which pro- 

 duced 96,000 Ibs. In 1802 the plantations were reduced to fifty- 

 seven, the yield being about the same. In 1807, 355,000 Ibs. of 

 cacao were growrf' In 1831, there were 2,972 quarrees (each three 

 acres and one-fifth English) under cultivation in Trinidad with 

 cacao, on which were 2,464,426 trees, which produced a crop of 

 1,479,568 Ibs. In 1841 there were 6,910 acres planted with cacao. 



The following have been the exports from this island from 1821 

 to 1844 : 



1821 

 1822 

 1823 

 1824 

 1825 

 1826 

 1827 

 1828 

 1829 

 1830 

 1831 

 1832 



In a lecture delivered by Dr. Lindley before the Society of 

 Arts, alluding to the colonial products shown at the Great Exhi- 

 bition, he said : 



" There was one sample which ought to be mentioned most especially ', 

 namely, the cocoa of admirable quality which comes, or which may come, from 

 Trinidad. Cocoa cacao, as we should call it is an article of very large con- 

 sumption. Enormous quantities of it are now used in the navy ; and every one 

 knows how much it is employed daily in private life. It is, moreover, the 

 basis of chocolate. But we have the evidence of one of. the most skilful brokers 

 in London, who has had forty years experience to enable him to speak to the 

 fact that we never get good cocoa in this country. The consequence is, that 

 all the best chocolate is made in Spain, in France, and the countries where the 

 fine description of cocoa goes. We get here cocoa which is unripe, flinty, and 

 bitter, having undergone changes that cause it to bear a very low price in the 

 market. But it comes from British possessions, and is, therefore, sold here sub- 

 ject to a duty of only 18s. 8d. per cwt., whereas if it came from a foreign 

 country it would pay 56s.* The differential duty drives the best cocoa out of 

 the English market. Still it appears that we might supply, from our own colo- 

 nies, this very cocoa ; because, as I have said, there was exhibited, from Trini- 

 dad, a very beautiful sample, quite equal to anything produced in the besf 

 markets of the Magdalena, of Soconusco, or cf other places on the Spanish 

 main. It had no bitterness, no flintiness, no damaged grain in it ; but all were 

 plump and ripe, as if they had been picked. The cocoa from the Spanish main 



* Dr. Lindley is in error as to the discriminating duties British cacao pays 9s., and 

 foreign 18s. 



