THE AGRICULTUEAL CHEMISTRY OP CACAO. 85 



abundance in the cacao groves of British Guiana including the 

 Criollo or Caracas kind, but as the bulk of the crops appears to 

 consist of Forastero and Calabacillo Cacao, principally of the 

 former, attention was confined to thera. 



The fresh pods were found to yield as follows : — 

 Galahacillo. Forasiero. 



Husk ... 80-59 ... 89 87 



Pulp ... 7-61 ... 4'23 



Cuticles of Beans 1'77 ... -50 



Kernels of Beans 10-03 ... 5-40 



100-00 ICO.OO 



The yields of cured cacao are 37"5 and 35-6 per cent, of the 

 beans and pulp of the two varieties respectively. Hence 100 lbs. 

 of the fruit of Calabacillo will yield 7-25 lbs. of fermented cured 

 cacao and 100 lbs. of the fruit of Forastero 3-6 lbs. There would 

 appear to be a distinct advantage in gi-owing cacao of the variety 

 Calabacillo ; but the difference in the market value of the small 

 flat brands of this variety and in that of the large plump beans of 

 Forastero very materially reduces the apparent advantage while 

 comparatively upon light soils of higher elevation the agricultural 

 yield of Calabacillo is frequently less than that of Forastero. 



The fresh fruits were rapidly divided up into the outer husk.s, 

 the cuticles of the beans and their adherent pulp, and the inner 

 kernels of the beans or cacao nibs proper. The cured beans were 

 also divided into cuticles and inner kernels. After weighing, all 

 parts of the fresh fruit were dried at a temperature of about 

 140° F, until they ceased to lose weight, the loss of moisture 

 noted, and the dry material carefully ground up and sampled. 



Analyses were afterwards made ©f these portions and the 

 results calculated back to the original state of the fruits as 

 received. 



