AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY OF CACAO 185 



The principal constituents of the cacao bean are : 

 (1) alkaloids ; (2) starch and sugars ; (8) albuminous 

 matters ; and (4) cacao butter, together with various 

 mineral substances. / 



Wright describes the first-named as highly compact 

 organic compounds which are responsible for the stimu- 

 lating effect of cacao. Harrison makes return of 

 having found a variable percentage of theobromine, 

 and that caffeine occurs in much smaller amounts, as 

 shown by his Tables. Starch and sugar were found in 

 Forastero to following amounts {see Table XII. p. 203, 

 Harrison) : 



Albuminoids and indeterminate nitrogenous matters 

 are represented in the dried material of Forastero 11 -2 

 per cent., and in the cured material at 8"6 per cent., and 

 fatty matters show at 45-8 per cent, in the dried to 52'1 

 per cent, in the cured material, the mineral substances 

 being particularly rich in phosphoric acid, potash, and 

 magnesia. The colouring-matter is determined as " cacao 

 red," which, with theobromine, is said to give to cacao its 

 characteristic taste. 



Harrison on Agricultural Chemistry of Cacao. 



The composition of the different parts of the cacao-tree 

 has been treated upon by Marcano of Venezuela * and in 

 part by Boname, late of Guadeloupe, now of Mauritius. -f 

 Opportunities for studying the requirements of the plant 

 as represented by the composition of the mature trees 

 themselves being very limited, we accept for guidance the 



* " Essais d'Agronomie Tropioale." V. Marcano. 



J- " La culture de la oanne 4. Sucre k la Guadeloupe." Pf. Boname. 



