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oxidases, and these ferments are present in 
yeasts and other organisms and also in all seeds, 
for they produce changes which are necessary 
for germination. Apparently Dr. Schulte con- 
siders that all the oxidation takes place without 
any catalytic agent or ferment, but this is highly 
improbable, and his experiments certainly do 
not prove it. The same as with tobacco and 
tea, the fermentation is due to enzymes, 
either naturally present or due to organisms, 
and before one can test the changes occurring 
without the presence of these, they must be 
isolated from the rest of the constituents, and 
this is practically impossible without altering 
the cacao beyond all recognition. 
Last, but by no means least, we come to 
Dr. Axel Preyer, whose work was carried on 
during the closing years of last century, and, 
as stated, published in Der Tvropenpflanzer 
of April, 1901. Now, on April 7, 1913, or 
just twelve years later, Dr. Preyer writes from 
Venice, where he holds the position of German 
Consul, as follows :-— . 
‘Tt is with considerable pleasure that I accede 
to the request of the Editor of Zropzcal Life, 
Mr. H. Hamel Smith, to add a few words to 
my old essay on ‘Cacao Fermentation.’ 
Although, as I state in. the concluding para- 
graph of this essay, which was published in 
Der Tropenpflanzer, No. 4, of April, 1901, I 
have, in the above communication, given some 
details regarding the causes of fermentation 
