88 The Fermentation of Cacao 
Victoria. Before the beans that had been 
fermented in the ordinary manner had cooled 
down after the first day of sun-drying, they 
were packed into a cask and covered. On 
the second day these beans, which were still 
warm, over 30° C. (86° F.), were again spread 
out in the sun, and before sunset again treated 
in a similar manner. In one of the experiments 
the cacao was damped on the third and fourth 
day by sprinkling it with water in order to 
prevent the drying from being too rapid, and 
to give the oxygen an opportunity of acting 
on the beans for a longer time at a higher - 
temperature. The cacao thus obtained was 
tested in Germany and found to be better 
than that dried in the ordinary way.’ Estima- 
tion of the soluble astringent substances con- 
firmed the fact that, especially in the case of 
the last experiment, the process of oxidation 
was more advanced. Although this cacao did 
not satisfy all the demands that might be made, 
it nevertheless confirmed the correctness of 
my assumption, that the oxidation of the 
astringent substances is an essential point in 
cacao fermentation. 
I had arrived at this point in my studies, 
when I returned to Germany in 1900. Before 
continuing my investigations in the Tropics, I 
thought it advisable to determine the most 
favourable conditions for the oxidation of cacao 
' by experiments conducted in Germany. 
1Dr. A. Schulte im Hofe: ‘ Zur Kakao-Fermenta- 
tion,’ Dey Tvopenpflanzer, 1901, p. 225. 
