20 The Fermentation of Cacao 
The living yeast cells in the pulp are 
apparently the inciters of fermentation ; ac- 
cording to Buchner, the chemical changes they 
produce with the help of the existing enzyme 
always deserve consideration when studying. 
cacao fermentation. After several attempts. 
at yeast cultivation in Ceylon, I was able to. 
isolate one variety, and grow it separately. 
This one is always found in Ceylon plantations. 
on fermenting cacao, and in the fermentation 
trials it gave by far the best results. It 
appears, without doubt, that other kinds of 
yeast, perhaps even European beer and wine 
yeasts, can create a fermentation of cacao. 
However, the ideal yeast will probably only be 
discovered by the careful cultivation of those 
which at present seem to be most satisfactory. 
As a starting point the kind of yeast found 
in Ceylon seems to be very suitable. This 
is distinguished from all the Saccharomyces: 
described hitherto, or at the most it slightly 
resembles S. e¢lipsordeus (1. Hansen), and 
S. membranefaciens. 1 would describe the 
new variety as follows :— 
The sprouting fungus of cacao fermentation 
—S. theobrome (Preyer)—is of longish, ellip- 
soidal shape, in the midst of almost cylin- 
drical cells, which, though separate, lie together 
in short chains or in heaps. The length of a 
cell measures on the average ‘00615 mm., with 
a cross diameter ‘0031 mm.; such cells are 
found in the middle of a pure bacilli culture in 
