Dr. A. Schulte im Hofe 99 
The test showed that if the oxidation process 
was prolonged until all the beans had turned 
brown, the taste was less full and there was 
less aroma than in samples containing some 
of the reddish-violet beans mixed with the 
brown. In this case again there is an analogy 
with what is met with in the case of tea. 
Freshly gathered tea-leaves do not form a 
uniform mixture, the leaf-buds oxidize more 
rapidly than the young leaves, and these again 
more rapidly than the older leaves. It is impos- 
sible to oxidize all the different types of leaves 
separately ; and though, it is true, an attempt 
is made to separate the leaf-buds by sifting 
after the leaves have been rolled, and to 
oxidize the two sets separately, even then a 
mixture of leaves of varying ages remains. 
Continue to oxidize the tea until all the leaves 
turn to a yellow coppery colour, and you will 
find that a large proportion would be super- 
oxidized, with the result that tea so prepared 
lost considerably in its fulness of flavour and 
aroma, and it is for this reason that oxidation 
is stopped before all the leaves have turned 
yellow. After I had proved that this irregu- 
larity in oxidation also occurred with cacao 
beans, the process was checked as soon as the 
major portion of the beans had turned brown. 
It now only remains for the planter to learn 
by experience when the most favourable stage 
in the fermentation process has been reached, 
for this stage will be found to vary according 
