Dr. Axel Preyer 5 
like; the beans were left in until the shell 
became brown, and one was certain that 
the germ had been killed. The quality of 
the cacao depends on the degree of ripeness 
of the fruit and the length of, time that the 
beans are fermented; beans, when ripe and 
fermented, separate themselves easily from 
the surrounding: substance and soon dry; the 
wine-like liquid is slightly sour and drinkable ; 
distilled it becomes a sharp spirit, which is 
inflammable and of pleasant taste.” 
Sir William Robinson reports on a method 
tried in Venezuela. The Conuquero dries his 
beans by exposing them in the sun for some 
five or six hours, after which they are fer- 
mented until the following day, and again 
exposed for five or six hours in the sun, and 
so on. Another method, used by the small 
planters, is to ferment the cacao beans during 
the evening whilst still warm from the 
sunning. 
Mr. Strickland! recommends the following 
‘process: Three stone tanks to be. built and 
cemented, each 11 ft. (3°35 m.) long, 7 ft. 
(2°13 m, ) broad, and 5 ft. (1°53 m.) deep ; high 
above these a corrugated iron roof is placed, 
and below a drain made for the liquid. The 
broken cacao (ze, the contents as taken 
from the pod) remains in the first tank five 
1 Of Trinidad. The originator of the well-known" 
Strickland process of fermentation.—H. H. S. 
