122 The Fermentation of Cacao 
be run straight into it from the drying tunnel. 
For this purpose the oxidation-house should 
be so arranged that the rails run along the 
narrower space on one side of the platform, 
whilst the oxidation boxes are arranged along 
the other and wider one. 
When oxidation has been completed the 
cacao must be completely dried; since, how- 
ever, there is- but little moisture left to be 
removed, the process can be rapidly carried 
out, and this can be done, if necessary, in the 
oxidation-house. 
Tasting the Cacao. 
As has already been stated, every tea-planter 
is in the habit of daily tasting the tea, after it 
has been prepared ready for shipment, in order 
to make certain of its quality and also to 
ascertain whether its preparation has been 
properly carried out. Experience is, of course, 
required, but for cacao it need not be as great 
as that of the tea taster, who has to estimate 
the approximate: market value of the tea. It 
will suffice if the cacao planter can determine 
how the quality of his cacao compares with that 
previously shipped, as well as with those of 
neighbouring plantations; this being so he 
should test his produce in a similar manner to 
the tea-planter. In the case of tea the matter 
is somewhat more complicated owing to its 
being separated into different qualities by sift- 
ing, whereas in the case of cacao only one 
