SECTION 4. 



CHAPTER XXII 

 STANDARD PRODUCTS OF CEYLON. 



[S=SlXHALESE ; 7 TAMIL] 



Cacao or Cocoa ; Chocolate Tree ; Chocolath-gas, S. ; Coco 

 niaram. T. (Theobroma Cacao. Sterculiaceae). A small tree, 20 to 

 25 ft. high, with large oblong leaves, native of tropical America, and 

 cultivated extensively in its native home as well as in the West Indies, 

 Ceylon, and West Tropical Africa. The tree bears a great number 

 of small pinkish or yellowish flowers in bunches on the stem and 

 branches, followed by the fruit ; the latter is a large warty or 

 furrowed (sometimes pointed) pod, 6 to 9 inches long, red, yellow, 

 or grey when ripe. Each pod contains from twenty-five to forty 

 large seeds, closely packed in a column in the hollow centre and 

 surrounded by a mucilaginous substance. Cocoa or chocolate is 

 prepared by roasting the seeds, which are afterwards ground 

 between hot cylinders to a paste (for chocolate), or mixed with 

 sugar, starch, etc., for cocoa. "Cocoa butter" or "oil of theo- 

 broma" is obtained from the seeds by expression; this is of 

 special value in medicine, etc., and is used extensively. 



Climate, Cultivation^ and Harvesting. The Cacao tree has a 

 long tap-root, and requires deep and well-drained soil. It thrives 

 best in a warm moist climate at elevations of 500 to 1,500 ft., but 

 also yields good crops in a moderately dry climate, provided the 

 annual rainfall is not below 60 inches. It is susceptible to exposure 

 to the sun or strong winds, and must be afforded protection by 

 means of suitable shade trees (such as species of Erythrina), planted 

 60 to 70 feet apart. Propagation is by seed (occasionally by bud- 

 grafting), which must be sown fresh, preferably in plant-baskets. 

 The seeds germinate in about three weeks, and the seedlings. 

 which first grow at a rapid pace, are ready for planting out in three 

 to four months from the time of sowing. The distance for planting 

 apart should, under average conditions, be about 12 by 12 ft., 

 though on good flat land it may be as much as 15 by 15 ft., while 



