XIV. The Fermentation of Cacao 
Cacao, and although J wish to consider them 
in more detail before giving my final opinion, 
1 think I may fairly congratulate you on 
having obtained information that will be 
valuable to the cacao planter, and still more so, 
perhaps, to the local merchants, to whom the 
unfermented cacao is brought by the peasants. 
The investigations should also have the effect 
of inducing such of the peasant growers, who 
have not hitherto attempted curing, to carry it 
out on scientific lines, which can be easily 
explained to them by the agricultural 
instructors.” 
On March 29, 1912, Mr. Fawcett finally 
wrote :— ; 
“The Essay ‘A’ (Mr. Hudson’s and Dr. 
Nicholls’) is in two parts, one being written 
from the point of view of the planter dealing 
with the details of the curing in a practical 
manner. The second part is a successful 
attempt to ascertain the causes which induce 
the changes in the character of the cacao bean 
during fermentation, and to put curing on a 
scientific basis that has been tested and proved 
to be satisfactory, instead of trusting to empiri- 
cal methods. 
“ A marked improvement of low-grade cacao 
would be noticed in the markets, if due regard 
were paid to the principles laid down. » This 
would apply especially to the peasant pro- 
prietors’ cacao cured by merchants, and also to 
the cacaos cured by small settlérs themselves. 
