Edible Products. 



430 



[May 1908. 



The results of the chemical examina- 

 tion show that the samples are satis- 

 factory so far as chemical composition 

 is concerned. It is of interest to note 

 that the analyses indicate that samples 

 Nos. IVa and IVb in spite of their short 

 period of fermentation have been more 

 thoroughly fermented than several of 

 the others ; thus the amount of husk in 

 No. IVb, though unwashed, is only 8*0 

 per cent., identical with that found in 

 the washed twin sample IVa, indicating 

 that in these two samples practically the 

 whole of the pulpy saccharine matter 

 originally adherent to the shell had been 

 utilised in maintaining the fermentation, 

 so that none was left to be removed by 

 the subsequent washing. 



Commercial Valuation op Samples.* 



Specimens of all seven cocoas were 

 submitted in the first instance to a firm 

 of manufacturing confectioners, who 

 reported on them as follows :— 



"These samples are considerably better 

 than ordinary West African cocoa ; this 

 however is not saying much, as this is 

 the lowest grade of cocoa excepting 

 Hayti for which there is any consider- 

 able market. 



" The writer prefers the flavour of the 

 unwashed samples in each case. He 

 would say that sample IVb is very 

 similar to a mild Grenada, whilst samples 

 Vb and VIb have more of the Trinidad 

 quality. Some of the samples show 

 signs of mould, which of course detracts 

 from their value." 



This firm also offered the following 

 general remarks with regard to the con- 

 dition of the West African cocoa trade. 



" The bulk of the cocoa which comes 

 over to the European market from West 

 Africa has received hardly any ferment- 

 ation at all. The pods are simply opened 

 and the beans dried without any attempt 

 at proper fermentation. In our opinion 

 no amount of grading of this kind of 

 cocoa would materially improve the 

 price. On the other hand, if the cocoa 

 is properly prepared, as is done in the 

 Portuguese island of San Thome and in 

 the British island of Grenada, a superior 

 quality of cocoa would be obtained, and 

 if fermentation is done regularly the 

 quality will be uniform." 



Samples of the cocoa were also sub- 

 mitted to a firm of brokers in London 

 for valuation. They reported on them as 



* Since these valuations were made prices cf 

 cocoa beans have risen very considerably, so that 

 the figures quoted are only of value for comparison 

 with prices obtainable for standard varieties at the 

 same time, viz. medium Ceylon at 46s. to 53s. and 

 St. Thome at 5Qs> to 53s. per cwt. 



Sample No. 1.— Bold, colory reddish, 

 even but dark ' break ' ; worth about 

 50s. to 51s. per cwt. 



Sample No. IVa.— Pale reddish, fairly 

 good ' break ' ; worth about 50s. per cwt. 



Sample No. IVb. — Pale reddish, appa- 

 rently washed, part lean and small ; 

 worth about 49s. per cwt. 



Sample No. Va. — Dull reddish, fair 

 ' break ' ; worth about 49s. per cwt- 



Sample No. Vb. — Very dull, dark 

 ' break ' ; worth about 47s. per cwt. 



Sample No. Via.— Very dark, dull 

 ' break' ; worth about 48s. per cwt. 



Sample No. VIb. — Very grey and 

 coated, but fair 'break'; worth about 

 48s. per cwt. 



"During the past few months (i.e. late 

 in 1905) prices of almost all descriptions 

 of cocoa have favoured buyers, owing to 

 large crops of Trinidad, Bahia and 

 African sorts, and present values are 

 moderate. Cocoa cured and prepared as 

 samples represent would attract atten- 

 tion and compete with St. Thome and 

 West Indian kinds and would fetch good 

 prices here." 



As most of the West African eccoa 

 which reaches this country is imported 

 via Liverpool, it was considered advis- 

 able to have the samples valued also by 

 a firm of brokers in Liverpool. This firm 

 reported as follows :— 



Samples Nos. Va, Vb and IVb we con- 

 sider good cocoas, the value of which 

 to-day would be 42s. to 43s. per cwt. ex- 

 quay Liverpool, usual terms. 



"The other four samples contain defec- 

 tive beans and are therefore not quite 

 the same value as the first three. They 

 would probably realise 40s. to 41s. per 

 cwt., usual terms. The 'usual terms' 

 means landing expenses, and less 2\ per 

 cent, discount, merchants ' and brokers ' 

 commission, etc., all to be paid by im- 

 porter." 



General Conclusions and Recom- 

 mendations. 



The foregoing results show that these 

 samples of cocoa appear to be superior 

 to the ordinary West African cocoa now 

 imported into this country, and that if 

 cocoa similar to the present set of 

 samples could be regularly exported it 

 would probably secure better prices than 

 are now generally obtainable for the 

 West African product. 



These preliminary experiments in the 

 improvement of cocoa may therefore be 

 regarded as having given promising 

 results, and it is desirable that they 



