144 METHODS OF FERMENTATION 



" The second portion of the consignment consisted of 

 60 bags ex ' Akabo,' which were received at Liverpool 

 on February 2, 1907. The following opinions of the 

 different lots were supplied by the brokers previous to 

 the sale : 



"'IV, 5 bags. Good, fair beans of good size mixed 

 with slatey beans. Value about 68s. per cwt. 



"'V, 7 bags. Fair quality, mixed with small and 

 defective beans. Value about 67s. per cwt. 



" ' VI, 12 bags. Fair quality but small and unfermented. 

 Value about 67s. per cwt. 



" 'VII, 13 bags. Fair quality, mixed with small and 

 lean beans. Value about 68s. per cwt. 



" ' VIII, 9 bags. Fair quality, mixed with small and 

 defective beans. Value about 67s. per cwt. 



" ' IX, 14 bags. Moderate quality very small, badly 

 cured, and mixed with defective beans. Value about 

 65s. per cwt.' 



" The lots were sold separately and realised the follow- 

 ing prices in bond : 



IV. 70s. per cwt. VII. 69s. per cwt. 



V. 68s. VIII. 65s. ,, 



VI. 67s. ,, ,, IX. 65s. ,, 



" The brokers stated that they were rather surprised at 

 the high price realised by one or two of the lots, which 

 went to a Continental buyer. 



" Samples of the different lots were supplied to several 

 English manufacturers, and in certain cases criticisms 

 and valuations were obtained, which may be quoted. 



" One firm stated that they could not report favourably 

 upon the cocoa, since none of the lots would rank as 

 average good Grenada estate cocoa. They added that 

 lower grades of cocoa, like the present consignments, are 

 often keenly bid for by makers of common chocolate, 

 and realise prices which, in their opinion, are much 

 higher than the quality justifies. They prefer not to 

 buy such cocoas themselves, so long as good estate cocoa 

 can be obtained at a reasonable price. In their opinion 

 Nos. 2, 3, 4 (ex 'Nigeria') and No. IV (ex 'Akabo') 

 appeared to be the best samples ; at the same time they 

 considered that better cultivation and more experience 



