98 The Fermentation of Cacao 
further noticed that when the oxidation process 
had beer properly carried out, the beans were 
covered by a delicate white éfflorescence. 
This may serve as a means of recognizing 
whether the cacao has been treated in the 
above manner or not. 
I remarked also that the time required for 
the change in colour from reddish-violet to 
brown varied in different beans. As is well 
known, the same observation has been made 
in the case of beans treated by the usual 
methods. This peculiarity probably depends 
on the varying degrees of maturity or ripeness 
of the pods themselves, and possibly this is 
the reason why some planters believe that it 
is advisable to allow the fruit to coritinue 
to ripen in the pod for some time after being 
picked. 
The flavour of each lot of cured cacao was 
tested after being dried. For this purpose 
tasting samples were prepared exactly in the 
same manner as is done in the chocolate 
factories when testing samples of caca@ to be 
offered for sale. A sample of cacao was 
roasted, ground, and, for want of a small rolling 
machine, crushed to a fine powder in a mortar. 
Exact portions of this powder were weighed 
off, and boiled in definite.and equal quantities 
of water, and then tested as to colour, aroma 
and taste. In my first experiments I took 
samples from the same batch on each day 
of the oxidation process, and dried them. 
