192 The Fermentation of Cacao 
3 ft. per cwt. would suffice. Where drying 
conditions are favourable these figures may be 
reduced by about 25 per cent. 
Briefly described, this well-known sun cacao- 
drying process is as follows. The fermenting 
boxes are examined about 6 a.m., and if the 
cacao is fit to go out on the “ boucan” it is 
carried in baskets over the short space separat- 
ing the “boucan” from the fermenting house 
and deposited on the drying floor or trays. It 
is then raked over until the seeds lie two or 
three deep. When this work has to be done, 
one of the end pieces of a barrel head, in shape 
gaa 
THE PALETTE. 
Made from the end piece of a barrel head. 
describing a quarter circle (see illustration), 
is mounted on a rough straight handle of con- 
venient length, and the straight edge is used 
to rake the seeds smooth. In order to allow 
the bottom of the floor (now completely 
obscured by damp cacao) to dry out and 
become warm in the sun, the cacao is, at half 
hour intervals during the first morning, heaped 
into small ridges a few inches apart, for which 
purpose the sharp points of the quarter circle 
are used, exposing each time a different surface 
of the floor between the ridges. When the 
cacao is more thinly deposited on the drying 
