SYNOPSIS. 
FOREWORD BY SIR GEORGE WaTT 
PREFACE BY THE EDITOR ... 
Details of the essays included and fhets arent 
subscribers to the 7ropical Life Prize Fund which 
caused the book to be written—the report of Mr. 
Wm. Fawcett (formerly Director of Plantations,. 
Jamaica, B.W.I.), and Dr. Dekker on the Prize 
Essay—Why notes on the fermentation of Coffee, 
Tobacco, &c., were included-—the opinions of the 
various essayists discussed—the question of by- 
products and their use as liquid fuel—7he New 
York Oil and Paint Reporter on the need of 
increased supplies—TZhe Indian Trade Journal 
on the same matter—Z7he Manchester Guardian 
discusses the need of increased supplies of alcohol 
and its calorific value—can petrol engines be run 
on alcohol?—it is agreed that they can be—table 
showing the world’s production of cacao—what 
that would yield in vinegar or alcohol—M. Leplae’s 
blocks—Zhe Pharmaceutical Journal (London) on 
Perrot’s notes regarding cacao fermentation—Dr. 
Fickendey and Mr. Hudson on treating the beans 
with alkalis—the need of Government help on a 
more extended basis—especially to test machinery 
for the benefit of all—the need to insure the output 
of large supplies of raw material and food supplies 
—how to encourage the flow of young men and 
capital to produce these—what the /zdian Planters’ 
Gazette says on the subject regarding tea-planting 
—the present short-sighted public and its policy— 
Dr. Schulte’s plea and suggestions—train doctors 
for plants as we now do for people—the public and 
cheap tea—the Exchequer and the tea tax—both 
neglect the producer—train men to use labour- 
saving machines as you do munitions of war. 
CHAPTER I.—DR. AXEL PREVER. 
Is it necessary to ferment cacao 3h dante: of 
washing—How fermentation was effected in 1775 
