BEVERAGES 76 



probably formed by the oxidation of a glucosid. At the same 

 time, the essential aromatic oil appears and the bitterness dis- 

 appears. The fermented and dried bean contains 6.3 per cent, 

 water, 52.1 per cent, fat, 6.1 per cent, proteids, 6.8 per cent, 

 carbohydrates, 1.7 per cent, theobromin, 6.3 per cent, cocoa 

 red and astringent matters, 1.8 per cent, ash, and 18.9 per cent, 

 cellulose. It is apparent from these figures that one-half the 

 dry cacao bean is made up of cocoa fat or cocoa butter, which 

 is extensively used in making chocolate, perfumes, and many 

 pharmaceutical preparations. Cocoa fat is a yellowish-white 

 fat with a melting point of 35° C. 



About 20 species of Theobroma are known, of which T. 

 cacao and T. pentagona (usually considered a variety of T. 

 cacao) are grown commercially. The cacao tree reaches full 

 growth at 10 to 12 years. The red-fruited varieties have 

 darker leaves, and the flowers and fruit are borne on the trunk 

 or large branches as indicated above. There are three prin- 

 cipal groups of the varieties of cacao, Criollo, Forastero, and 

 Calabacillo. The Criollo group is quite superior in quality. 

 The wall of the pod is soft and the round white beans are 

 only slightly bitter. The Forastero group has a much harder 

 pod and flat violet-colored beans. The Criollo varieties came 

 originally from Venezuela, but are now cultivated in many 

 tropical countries. A very smooth fruited subvariety of the 

 Criollo group is known under the name Porcelaine. The For- 

 astero group of cacaos is more variable. The fruit is usually 

 yellow and the trees are more hardy than those of the Criollo 

 group. The Forastero cacao, therefore, seems to be gradually 

 taking the place of the better varieties even in Venezuela. 



For cacao plantations openings in forest or areas protected 

 by windbreaks are commonly selected. Perhaps the best shade 

 for the first three years of growth can be obtained by inter- 

 planting with bananas, cassava, or pigeon peas. The usual 

 planting distance for cacao is 9 to 20 feet apart both ways 

 with perhaps 15 by 15 feet as the average spacing. In certain 



