138 



METHODS OF FERMENTATION 



Judging from this opinion it would appear that it 

 would be more profitable for the grower to send his 

 cocoa to market unw r ashed. Extra expenditure is in- 

 curred for labour by washing cocoa, and the weight of 

 the product is decreased by this operation. 



The Hamburg brokers valued the washed cocoa at 

 approximately 4 and 3 per cent, higher than the 

 unwashed cocoa similarly fermented, i.e. for six days. 



The opinions of the brokers were contradictory in 

 regard to a period of six days' fermentation being suffi- 

 cient for this class of cocoa. 



The small difference in the value given to cocoa fer- 

 mented during three and six days respectively was 

 not sufficient to compensate for the extra loss in weight 

 associated with the longer period of fermentation. The 

 loss in weight by fermenting for three and six days was 

 found to be approximate'y 10 and 17 per cent, respec- 

 tively ; that fermented for the longer period was only 

 rated at a price about 2 per cent, higher than that given 

 to the less fermented cocoa. 



A more comprehensive series of experiments was then 

 conducted to ascertain what are the actual losses sus- 

 tained by fermenting cocoa during periods varying from 

 4' 5 to 12 days. The results obtained were as follows : 



A report from the Imperial Institute has been pub- 

 lished (Bulletin of the Imperial Institute, vol. v. [1907], 

 pp. 361-9), giving the results of the examination and 

 valuation of a number of samples selected from the various 

 lots of experimentally cured cocoa, above referred to, as 

 well as upon several shipments of cocoa prepared by 

 native growers which was made at the instance of the 

 Government. The following is the substance of the 

 report from the Imperial Institute : 



