IMi CACAO 



one another, for it is possible to make a much more even 

 sample by giving due attention at this stage than by any 

 other means, for from the appearance of the sweet pulp 

 surrounding it the condition of the interior of the bean 

 can be correctly estimated. 



Among cacao planters there are many who are well alive 

 to the importance of making improvements in the process 

 employed for curing cacao, but as a rule their efforts are 

 met by strong prejudice in favour of the old rule-of-thumb 

 methods, and any one trying to make an improvement 

 is subject at times to no little ridicule on that account, 

 and therefore it is a hard fight to get improved methods 

 into working order. With the small settler it is doubtful 

 if the classification of produce could be carried out to any 

 real advantage so long as each producer undertakes the 

 curing of his own crop ; but were a system of Central 

 Factories established a method of classification could be 

 efficiently carried out, and the general character of the 

 produce greatly improved. Large owners generally hold 

 the view that a system of classification does not pay, 

 owing to the increased cost of labour necessary to carry 

 it out. Whether this is a correct view or not is best shown 

 by the fact that for the markets of the world we always 

 find that we must produce a first-class article to obtain a 

 name, and to obtain a name means to obtain a profit above 

 our competitors ; but we certainly can never obtain a 

 name unless we make a first-class article. To make a 

 first-class article in any trade or business is well known to 

 pay much better in the long run than to make ordinary 

 produce. There can be no doubt that many improvements 

 in the curing of produce can be effected if the necessary 

 study is given to the subject, and the curing of cacao 

 certainly forms no exception to the rule. Classification 

 of produce must, of course, be governed greatly by the 

 character of that produce, but even with crops of the most 

 mixed character it is still possible to prepare produce for 

 the market which exhibits a very decided improvement 

 on the ordinary out-turn, by careful selection of the pods 



