PRODUCTION OF CACAO 245 



the face of a greater advance in price of that article than 

 has occurred in either tea or coffee. The average value 

 per pound of the crude cacao imported in 1890 was 12-7 

 cents, and in 1897, 14*5 cents; that of tea, 15 cents in 

 1890 and 16-1 cents in 1907 ; while that of coffee shows a 

 marked fall, having been 16 cents in 1890 and 7-9 cents in 

 1907. 



It has only been during the last fifteen years that the 

 world has recognised the importance of cacao and its 

 products as a food. The people of the United States were 

 the last to do so, but, as already seen, they now consume 

 more than any other nation. 



Cacao, coffee, and tea are somewhat similar products, 

 being used largely as beverages. There has not been as 

 large a percentage of increase in the consumption of coffee 

 and tea as there has been of cacao. This is true, not only 

 in the United States, but also in other leading countries, 

 as can be seen from the following table, in which the 

 increased consumption of these three articles during 1909 

 over that of 1896 is given in quantities and in millions of 

 pounds : 



This table includes the largest coffee-consuming country, 

 the United States, and the largest tea-consuming country. 

 Great Britain. In every case the percentage of increase 

 of the consumption of cacao exceeds that of either tea or 

 coffee, and, with the exception of France, is many times 

 greater. 



Of the 89,000,000 lb. imported by Germany in 1909, 

 22,000,000 lb. came from British West Africa ; 19,000,000 



