CHAPTER XVI 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY OF CACAO 



A FEW years ago Professor J. B. Harrison, C.M.G., the 

 Director of Science and Agriculture in British Guiana, 

 furnished a chapter on the agricultural chemistry of cacao 

 for the second edition of " Cacao," by the author. On 

 recent reference he informed the writer that at present he 

 had nothing new to add to what he had previously written, 

 with the exception of one or two minor criticisms, which 

 he did not admit to have any bearing. Professor Harrison's 

 work has not been questioned, and it still remains as a 

 standard record with regard to the chemical contents of 

 the produce of the cacao-tree, and the characters of the 

 soil on which it grows. 



That further advances in our knowledge of the chemistry 

 of cacao, and questions connected therewith is desirable, 

 and will appear in due time, there can be no question ; 

 and as shown in the Professor's concluding paragraph, 

 such work is confidently anticipated when he says that 

 " Work already done in this line is fully compensated for if 

 it leads others more favourably situated to take up the 

 study of this interesting and intricate subject." 



The direction which some further inquiries will take 

 will probably be a careful examination of the methods of 

 fermentation, the changes that take place during that 

 process, what causes them, &c. &c. In fact, a project for 

 obtaining further information has been formulated and 

 prizes offered for the best essay on this subject. Personally 

 the writer is of the opinion that what is to be gained in 

 this direction will be vastly insignificant in comparison 

 with that to be gained in other directions, but of course 



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