CACAO OR COCOA. 



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almost exclusively situate in tlie central and oriental departments, 

 which produced, in 1849, 3,836 arrobas, valued at 19,180 dollars. 



Hayti exported, in 1801, 648,518 lbs. of cacao ; in 1826, 

 457,592 lbs., and in 1836, 550,484 lbs. 



The French island of Martinique produces a considerable quan- 

 tity of cacao. In 1763, there were stated to be 103,870 trees in 

 bearing. The produce exported in 1769 was 11,731 quintals. 

 In 1770 there were 871,043 trees. In 1820 there were 412 square 

 acres under cultivation ^vith cacao, producing 449,492 lbs ; and in 

 1835, 492 hectares, which yielded 155,300 kilogrammes. I have 

 no later returns at hand. 



The beverage generally called cocoa is merely the berries of 

 Theolroma Cacao, pounded and drank either with water or milk, 

 or with both. Chocolate (of which I shall speak by and bye) is 

 a compound drink, and is manufactured chiefly from the kernels 

 of this plant, whose natural habitat would seem to be Gruayaquil, 

 in South America, though it flourishes in great perfection in the 

 West Indies. It grows also spontaneously and luxuriantly on the 

 banks of the Magdalena, in South America ; but the fruit of those 

 trees that are found in the district of Carthagena is preferred to 

 all others, probably from a superior mode of cultivation. Sir E,. 

 Schomburgk, in his exj^edition into the interior of British Gruiana, 

 found the country abounding in cacao, " which the Indians were 

 most anxious to secure, as the pulpy arillus surrounding the seed 

 has an agreeable vinous taste." Singular to say, however, they 

 appeared perfectly ignorant of the qualities of the seed, which pos- 

 sesses the most delightful aroma. Sir Eobert adds, they evinced 

 the greatest astonishment when they beheld him and Mr. Goodall 

 collecting these seeds and using them as chocolate, which was the 

 most delicious they had ever tasted. These indigenous cacao 

 trees were met with in innumerable quantities on the 5th of June, 

 1848, and the following day ; and thus inexhaustible stores of a 

 highly-prized luxury are here reaped solely by the wild hog, the 

 agouti, monkeys, and the rats of the interior. — (Simmonds's Col. 

 Mag. vol. i., p. 41.) 



The height of the cacao shrub is generally from eighteen to 

 twenty feet ; the leaf is between four and six inches long, and its 

 breadth three or four, very smooth, and terminating in a point 

 like that of the oraage tree, but differing from it in color ; of a 

 duU green, without gloss, and not so thickly set upon the branches. 

 The blossom is first white, then reddish, and contains the rudi- 

 ments of the kernels or berries. When fully developed, the peri- 

 carp or seed-vessel is a pod, which grows not only from the 

 branches, but the stem of the tree, and is from six to seven inches 

 in length, and shaped like a cucumber. Its color is green when 

 growing, like that of the leaf ; but when ripe, is yellow, smooth, 

 clear, and thin. When arrived at its full growth, and before it is 

 ripe, it is gathered and eaten like any other fruit, the taste being 

 subacid. If allowed to ripen, the kernels become hard; and, 

 when taken out of the seed-vessel, are preserved in skins, or, more 



