8 BOTANICAL 



ences between the Forastero and Calabacillo varieties 

 are of such little value for purposes of identification 

 that in this work it is not proposed to attempt to dis- 

 tinguish between them. We are thus enabled to class 

 the varieties of Theobroma cacao, L., under two divisions, 

 Forastero and Criollo. The main distinguishing characters 

 of these two divisions being that the Criollo varieties 

 generally produce fruits with thinner and softer walls 

 than the Forastero varieties, although even this dis- 

 tinction cannot always be relied upon, as the fruits of 

 Amelonado and Amelonado pequeno are sometimes as 

 thin and soft as those of some of the Criollo varieties. 

 The beans of the Criollo varieties are almost invariably 

 rounded and plump, whereas the Forastero varieties 

 quite as constantly produce much flatter beans. The 

 most important distinction, however, lies in the 

 Criollo beans possessing pale or white cotyledons, whilst 

 those of the Forastero beans are generally purple. 

 Where Criollo and Forastero varieties are cultivated in 

 close proximity cross-fertilisation takes place between 

 them and the characters of each type may be found 

 merged in the progeny. This is a feature extremely 

 common in Ceylon cocoa plantations, where it is almost 

 impossible to find trees producing white beans only, 

 as the writer has shown elsewhere.* 



The cotyledons of the beans of T. pentagona are 

 white, while those of the beans of T. sphcerocarpa are 

 purple. The fruits of these are readily distinguishable 

 from those of T. cacao. The fruits of the first-mentioned 

 species are provided with five prominent ridges or wings, 

 between which the surface is covered with pronounced 

 tubercles. The fruits of T. sphcerocarpa are small and 

 rounded, as shown in Plates 1 and 2 v. 



All of the three species of Theobroma previously de- 

 scribed are evergreen trees, with a short erect trunk ; 

 the height of cultivated trees varies from 12 to 40 ft. 



The Production of Cocoa Flowers and Fruits. The 

 greatest number of flowers are produced on the stem and 

 principal branches, and a tree may continue to bear 

 flowers and fruits from the same areas for many consecu- 

 tive years. Swellings or cushions are eventually formed 



* Johnson's Report on the Cultivation of Rubber, Cocoa, and other 

 Agricultural Products in Ceylon, 1903. 



