Dr. Axel Preyer 19 
that neither in the total exclusion of :living 
organisms in general, ‘nor in the absence of 
yeast cells, do the known phenomena of 
fermentation take place ; at the most it is only 
with the presence of bacteria that the forma- 
tion of acidity or decomposition follows. Of 
a. —» Gee == Se ae @ 
—————— A == 
on 
ss 
THE SHELL OF A Ripgz CACAO BEAN-—FORASTERO 
VARIETY—FROM.CEYLON. Mag. x 70. 
a, Epidermis ; 4, fibrous tissue with chlorophyll-bearing 
cells ; ¢, stone cells ; ¢, compressed chlorophyll ceils contain- 
ing pulp; ¢, cells containing pulp. : ‘ 
course, in the case of fresh cacao beans which 
are exposed by the exclusion of air organisms, 
a darker brown colouring soon takes place, but 
that is all; further changes do not take place 
either in the colour of the cotyledons or in the 
bitter taste; the pulp also is not so easily 
washed away as in well-fermented beans. 
