( « ) 
prices obtained in the home market have been excellent, comparing very favourably with those of 
Trinided and West Indian sorts, and the industry here may be considered to be in a satisfactory, 
and impi’oving condition. 
I am sorry to observe, that in spite of the encouragement given by Government, but slight 
progress has been m^de by the villagers in cultivating this valuable product. For many years past 
I have made a large gratis distribution of seed through the kachcheries of the Central and 
Sabaragamuwa Provinces ; but the visible results seem so lamentably small, that I think it desirable 
to call attention to the matter. During the past eight years, 1883-90, I have distributed in this 
manner all the pods remaining after supplying purchasers. From Peradeniya have been sujjplied 
14,823 pods, and from Henaratgoda 11,900 ; in all 26,723 pods, equivalent to fully 700,000 seeds, 
besides small quantities of plants. These have been sent to the kachcheries of Kandy, Ratnapura, 
Matale, and Kegalla for distribution, and the question cannot but suggest itself as to what has 
become of them all. I fear that there is good reason to believe that a considerable proportion has 
never really reached the poor villagers whom it is intended to benefit, and in this belief I have, 
during the past year, made a small gratis distribution directly to suitable applicants at the Gardens. 
1 would suggest that this personal distribution, without the intervention of clerks or headmen, l)e 
carried out for the future on a larger scale, either at the kachcheries or the Gardens, as the only way 
of reaching the villagers. 
A good deal of interest attaches to the question as to the kinds of cacao in cultivation here, 
and I may supplement the remarks I have made on this subject in previous reports by a few further 
observations. There is no reason to sup]Dose that we have under cultivation more than one species 
of Tlieohroma, but every probability that all the varieties trace their origin to a common Avild 
parent. It would be interesting to knoAV Avhich of the two fairly well-marked races recognised in 
Ceylon is the nearer to this original type, and the facts could probably be ascertained in Central 
America. The names Criollo” and “ Forastero” applied to them simply mean “ wild and foreign,” 
and seem to have had their origin in Trinidad, but it is doubtful if the former Avas ever really a 
natiAn plant there. It A\ns, hoAvever, the sort at one time exclusively grown in that island, where 
having died out its place AA^as supplied by the “ foreign” sort, no doubt obtained from the 
mainland. 
As seen in Ceylon, the “Criollo” (called also here “Caracas” and “Old Ceylon Red Cacao ”) 
presents very little variety, but the “Forastero” shows a remarkable range in form, size, and 
colour of pod and seed. It Avas of this sort that the Avhole of the plants Ave received from Trinidad 
in 1880-81 consisted, though some Avere labelled “ Criollo,” and for a time led to some confusion. 
The small plantation formed of these at Peradeniya noAV consists of 33 trees, the remainder of the ori- 
ginal 42 having been cut out, being inferior varieties, to avoid danger of crossing by them. Of these 
some ai’e much better than others both in yield and quality, and about six or seA'en are obviously 
very superior. Three trees Avhich haAn the fruit yelloAv Avhen ripe, are especially good : these came 
labelled “ Cayenne.” Another, with a very dark metallic-looking fruit, bore the name “ Cundeamar.” 
But, as before remarked, I attach but little importance to these names, which are evidently applied in 
Trinidad very loosely. 
No doubt crossing goes on freely in jDlantations even between the tAvo main races, and it is 
Avell knoAvn here that seed from a single tree gives a very varied progeny ; but a very curious 
remark has been recently made to me by a large grower, Avho has great opportunities for observation, 
that the “ Forastero ” varieties, Avhich he chiefly cultivates, appear to be gradually changing their 
characters and becoming more like the “ Old Ceylon Red,” the seeds losing their dark colour on 
section and becoming pale or nearly white. It will be very interesting to observe Avhether these 
observations are confirmed by longer experience. 
The excellent prices brought by our product in the home market has atti’acted serious atten- 
tion in Trinidad, and at the request of His Excellency Sir W. Robinson, Governor of that Colony, I 
have recently aflbrded him some information as to the process of curing followed here, a portion of 
Avhicb, referring to the artificial drying of the beans, he has embodied in a useful paper he has com- 
municated to the Trinidad “Agricultural Record.”* 
As regards the relative values of the tAvo classes of cacao, I may refer to the remarks in my 
report for 1883. Further experience has hoAvever someAvhat modified that estimate. The opinion 
of ])lanters noAv is by no means unanimously in’ favour of the “Old Red Ceylon” sort, and in the 
rnai-ket the tAvo sorts are often very evenly priced. As an example, lots of both groAvn on the same 
estate ami kept carefully separate were sold in London on the same day in March last : they fetched 
respectively, “ Caracas,” average 106-s. l\d. and “Forastero,” average 107s. per cwt. 
° I lijsiy here usefully refer to an excellent account of the preparation of cacao in Ceylon printed in the “Trqpical 
Agriculturist” for JtecemVjer, 1890, p. lOl. 
