Dr. A. Schulte im Hofe 117 
On the plantations in Samoa, Ceylon, and 
other countries growing a similar variety of 
cacao, drying on floors suffices for the produc- 
tion of quite a good type of produce. This 
particular variety may only be slightly acidified 
and requires a shorter time for oxidation than 
is necessary elsewhere, say in the Cameroons, 
for instance. Above all, the cacao must not be 
allowed to remain in heaps for several days, 
if it is only partially dried. As soon as the 
beans have reached a stage where they only 
contain about 15 per cent. of moisture, the still 
warm cacao must be piled together in heaps, 
or put into boxes. The beans need only be 
kept warm for a comparatively short time in 
order to reach the desired degree of oxidation. 
I have several times handled Samoa cacao, 
in which the fine aromatic bitter taste had 
been completely lost owing to over acidification 
or oxidation. Just as it is exceedingly im- 
portant to preserve the fine aroma or flavour 
of teas grown at higher altitudes, since possess- 
ing this enables them to sell at prices higher 
than those realized by the stronger teas grown 
in the plains, so in the case of Samoa cacao, 
and others of a similar kind, it is important 
to fully develop and preserve the -pleasant 
aromatic taste they contain, for just as the finer 
qualities of tea are mixed with the stronger 
sorts in order to obtain a palatable marketable 
article, so are these finer quality cacaos used 
for blending with other kinds of a stronger 
