''" FEKMENTaTION. 



important subject. A partial analysis by Professor McCarthy 

 appeared ia one of the annual reports of the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens some years ago whinn simply gave the constituents of 

 the fresh bean, but nothing further was forthcoming until in 

 1897 Professor J^ B. Harrison, M.A., Government Analyst 

 of British Guiana, took up the questiori and performed a lengthy 

 series of analyses, which have afforded a very large amount of 

 valuable infprmation. Professor Harrison has been good enough 

 to allow me to make use of this information and it appears, as 

 recently revised by himself, in the chapter which deals with the 

 Agricultural Chemistry of Cacao. (Chapter 12.) 



These analyses show clearly the constituents of the fermented 

 and unfermented bean, and the changes caused by the operation. 



It is clearly desirable, in the interests of a Country produc- 

 ing 20,000,000 Bbs. of Cacao per annum, to know the basis of the 

 methods of fermentation which are in use, and the changes 

 which occur in the product; and ths planter will find interesting 

 information on these points in Professor Harrison's work. 



Professor McCarthy's analysis, ran as follows : — " In tyfo 

 ordinary varieties of Cacao lately analysed fresh from the pod, 

 the fat in one was only 18% while in the other it was over 28%, 

 Theobroipine being in nearly the same proportions." 



A set of analyses are to be found in the pages of Tropical 

 Agriculture by P. L. Siiumonds, but these, as the author states, 

 are not flattering to Chemical science. 



An analysis by Professor Cliurch in " Fopd" (South. 

 Kensington Science Hand-book) runs as follows : — 



In 100 parts. Ia i tb. 

 Water ... ... ... jg 0-359 grs. 



Albuminoids 



170 2315 



F»t ••• ... ... 510 8070 „ 



Theobromine ... ... 1-5 0165 „ 



Cacap Ktid... ... ... 30 0-210 „ 



Gum, etc. ... ... ... 109 1-326 „ 



Cellulose and Ijgnose ... 80 1122 



Mineral mn-iter ... ... j-g q 2=2 " 



Professor McCarthy found 18 and 28 per cent, of 



fattv iiia,tt.er ii^ two samples of f^sh Cacao bijl tlj.s 



appiiri^ntly n)jgh.t represent an amount of 50 per cent, in tho 

 curpfi l.P!in, in consequence of the removal of moisture and tbo 

 p lip and mucilage from the outside of the bean, which material 

 goes u> make up a large proportion of weight, and would reduce 

 tli« percentage of fat in propoiiion to llm loul w.ej^'Ut of fresh 

 Lean- 



