XXil. The Fermentation of Cacao 
these several birds with one stone. Having 
done so, I can only express the sincere hope. 
that scientific and other experts will take up 
the tale where my essayists have left off, and 
carry it on until there is nothing more to be 
said or learnt on the subject. 
Meanwhile I would ask the readers of, these 
essays to note where the authors agree and 
where they differ, where at times, as they 
themselves explain in the Last Word, their 
views seem almost -directly opposed to one 
another. This, however, I do not think is 
altogether the case, for whether, as some 
claim, the loosening and removal of the pulp 
are the chief objects of the, various processes, 
or if, as others claim, the advent of the air 
and the oxygen it contains, to the produce, 
is what should be mainly sought for, and 
whether you oxidize or dry your cacao in the 
final process (the air certainly cannot get in 
the cells if the produce is wet and the cells 
are full of moisture), the fact or facts remain, 
that the pulp has to be loosened and got rid 
of if you want to ship an attractive cacao, 
and the oxidation has to be encouraged and 
regulated if you want to export cacao of good 
commercial quality. I would therefore ask 
the readers to carefully note where and why 
opinions agree and differ, as it is of interest 
and importance for all to know the various 
authors’ past and present views on the subject, 
and to note where they are of the same opinion 
