CACAO OR COCOA. 



" is indigenous, seldom exceeds the diameter of seven inches, and 

 is extremely beautiful when laden with its fruit, which are dis- 

 posed on short stalks over the stem and round the great branches, 

 resembling citrons, from their yellow color, and warty appearance. 

 The leaves are attenuate, stalked, drooping, about a foot long and 

 three inches broad, elliptic, oblong, pointed, slightly wavy, entire, 

 and very smooth on both sides ; with one mid-rib and many 

 transverse ones, connected by innumerable veins. The petals of 

 the flower are yellow, the calyx of a light rose-color, and the 

 flowers themselves are small and placed on tufts on the sides of 

 the branches, with single footstalks, about an inch long. Its 

 fruit is red, or a mixture of red and yellow, and about three inches 

 in diameter, with a fleshy rind half-an-inch thick ; the pnlp is 

 whitish and of the consistence of butter, containing the seed ; 

 these seeds are generally twenty-five in number in each fruit, and 

 when first gathered are of a flesh color, and form a nice preserve 

 if taken just before they are ripe. Each tree yields about two or 

 three pounds of fruit annually, and comes to maturity the third 

 year after planting from the seed ; it also bears leaves, flowers, or 

 fruit all the year round, the usual seasons for gathering being 

 June and December. The excellence of the Magdalena chocolate 

 may be attributed to the moist nature of the soil, as the plant 

 never thrives where the ground is hard and dry, or cannot be 

 irrigated." 



Mode of cultivation ii% the ColomMaii Mepublics — Plantations of 

 cacao were speedily multiplied in Colombia, and the soil so 

 admirably seconded the labors of the planter, that in the pro- 

 duce abundance was united to excellence. The cacao of this 

 quarter ranks next to that of Socouusco. It is well known that 

 the best commercial recommendation of cacao is that of coming 

 from Caracas. But even in these provinces the quality varies. 

 The cacao of Orituco is superior to that of other places, and a 

 quantity of equal bulk weighs twenty per cent. more. The cacao 

 of the coast comes next, and obtains a preference over that of 

 the interior. 



The plantations of cacao are all to the north of the chain of 

 mountains which coast the sea, and in the interior country. The 

 former extend from Cumana to the mouth of the Tocaj'-go ; the 

 latter are situate in the vallies of Tuy, Orituco, Ocumare, Cura, 

 Marrin, Tare, Santa Theresa, Santa Lucia, Zuapna, Santa Philippe, 

 Barquisimeto, Yalencia, Gruige and Cariaco. 



All kinds of soil are not equally adapted to the culture of cacao, 

 still less are all_ exposures ; but an analysis of the soil destined to 

 this culture never furnishes indications on which reliance can be 

 placed. No regard should be had to color or composition ; it is 

 only requisite that it should be friable to a certain depth, which is 

 ascertained by the size of the trees with which it is covered ; this 

 sign determines the land proper for cacao. 



A suitable situation is not so easily found. It should be exposed 

 as little as possible to the north, and be on the borders of a river, 



