Edible Products. 



382 



[Nov. im. 



states, that though the results ascribed to this process are possible, the expense 

 and the skilled assistance necessary to supervise the work, are such as to 

 make the process of little value to cacao planters in most parts of the tropics. 

 Furthermore, it has been pointed out that the cacao on the public market is often 

 classed and valued more according to the countries from which it has been 

 obtained than the method of fermentation adopted ; this, though correct to a 

 certain degree, should nob discourage the introduction of new and better methods 

 of fermenting, as it is obvious from the present range in value of cacao from any 

 one country that the better qualities will ultimately receive recognition. 



FERMENTING IN TROPICAL AMERICA. 



The time taken to effect a good fermenta tion in parts of Central America 

 varies according to the variety dealt with and the methods adopted. In Nicaragua 

 the seeds from Criollo and Lagarto fruits are fermented for two days and the 

 Trinitario seeds about four to five days ; in Salvador the seeds are usually 

 fermented for one or two days, and the same length of time appears to be allowed 

 for the varieties in Guatemala. 



FERMENTING IN SURINAM, VENEZUELA, ETC. 



Preuss* is of the opinion that the cacao varieties grown in Cameroon are 

 not inferior to those cultivated in Surinam, though the cacao exported from the 

 latter place is the better one. He attributes the bitter taste and sour smell of 

 much of the Cameroon cacao to the want of efficient fermenting, and ascribes the good 

 qualities of the cacao from Surinam to the systematic fermenting which is adopted. 

 The fermenting chambers in Surinam consist of series of compartments, often 

 eight in a series, and some measuring 1.5 metres in breadth, 2.25 m. in depth and 

 1.7 m. in height ; these chambers are made of wood, provided with an inter- 

 vening air space between one another, and constructed with sloping floors. In 

 fermenting, one box or chamber is left empty ; the others are filled with wet 

 cacao, often to a depth of one metre, and the cacao is covered with banana leaves, 

 and the box is then closed. The cacao is allowed to ferment in this condition for 

 one day, when that from the chamber next to the empty one is transferred to the 

 latter ; the contents of each box, after each empty one has been well washed, are 

 transferred to the next empty one, and by this means the cacao is well mixed 

 and superfluous sweatings removed. Each box is again allowed to retain the 

 fermenting cacao for one day, when the same process is again gone through ; at the 

 end of five to eight days fermentation is usually considered complete, though only 

 long experience can teach those respons ible when the desired changes have been 

 induced. 



In Surinam a temperature above 45° C. is considered to be detrimental, and 

 all fermenting chambers are situated in places protected from the wind. The 

 sweatings are, by means of the sloping floor, conducted to an open channel con- 

 structed of glazed earthenware, and are thus allowed to escape from the lermenting 

 heaps of cacao. The best results are believed to be obtained by fermenting large 

 instead of small quantities of cacao ; the Surinam planters believe that the changes 

 are more complete and better when fermenting is done in moist than in wet weather. 



According to Chittenden, in Venezuelaf :— " The con uquero puts his beans 

 to drain, and forthwith exposes them to the sun for say five or six hours, then 

 heaps and packs them up to sweat afresh until the following day, when they get 

 five or six hours more sun and so on. Auother contrivance of the small grower 

 is that of bagging the cacao at the end of the day whilst still hot from exposure to 

 the sun and sweating it during the night." 



* Expedition nach Central =und Siidamerika, by Dr. Paul Preuss, 1901. 

 f Cacao, by J. Hinchley Hart, Trinidad, 1900. 



