January i, 1892.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
509 
in a country or ono belonging to a country. With 
European Anglicans the word “Creole” is generally 
supposed to have reference to a mixture of races^ 
but it is not used in that bouso hero. 
For iustauco a child born of white parents in any 
West Indian Island, or even on the mainland of 
Central and South America is a “ Creole,” and just 
as much so as a black or coloured child would bo. 
In fact “ Creole” would bo better translated as “native” 
than as “wild” or coloured, a black or coloured child 
being just as much a Croolo as a white one. An 
English clergyman lately travelling in Trinidad was 
much surprised to find that the word Croule was 
used in this sense here, and even when shown that 
the use of the word in his sense would often subject 
him to ridicule, still he said he was not Inclined to 
allow that the West Indian interpretation was right, 
but felt inclined to follow his own. This gentleman 
was writing a book, and possibly we may hear more 
of his conservatism later on. 
It is important that the sense in which the word 
‘‘ Creole is used should be fully understood as we 
have OrioUo ” as our first variety of cacao. 
If we interpret the words Criolio cacao as native 
cacao, and Forostoro as foreign cacao, and CalabaciUo 
cacao as calabash cacao, wc shall have a better defi- 
liition of terms, and prevent further misapplication of 
the word “Criolio.” The CalabaciUo is so named 
from its fruits resembling those of the calabash tree 
(Oreacentia cfyctc, L.) 
I^r. Triraen (Annual Keport, 1890,) remarks that 
these names appear to have had their origin in Trini- 
dad, and doubts whether the first or Creole was “ ever 
really a native ijlant there.” The misunderstanding 
of the word Cyeolo probably leads him to this con* 
elusion, for how could it be yative or Crtolt (Criolio) 
if imported into Trinidad, unless its name was im- 
ported from South America with it, and if so it 
snouiQ be known as the Criolio of South America and 
not simply CnoUo. The word Forastero is also 
applied on the Main to the same cacao as in Trinidad, 
for they term it “Trinitario”* in contradistinction 
to their own Criolio, and certainly a plant of Trinidad 
would bo Forastero or foreign in v onozuola or any 
other part of Central America, and therefore their 
b orastero being a foreign cacao and supposed to have 
Its origin in Trinidad, would properly be the Criolio 
of Trinidad if the word was used in the correct sense. 
It may bo possible, however, that Criolio cacao is 
a native of both countries, and that one has as good 
claim to it os another, but the balance of probability 
appears to be that its origin can be rightly traced to 
oouth America as indicated by Dr. Trimen, but there 
^0 ground of proof in support of 
“-1^0 repudiates the authenticity of the 
j S ^-ttached to plants sent him from the 
^rinidad Botanic Gardens, and turns them into 
iJorastero apparently on account of their being dis- 
similar to “ the Old Ceylon Kod cacao, also called 
Caracas ” (Report for 1890,) but he allows a little 
ater, that the Forastero sent from Trinidad to Ceylou 
in the opinion of a large grower gradually chan- 
png Its character and “ becoming more like the Old 
oylon Red,” or in other words, is reverting to its 
wiginal type througli the influence of the soil and 
Climate in which it grows. 
iiif fjj^^efore it is possible for Forastero to revert 
to the Caracas or Criolio, this circumstance goes 
®ry far to sustain the supposition that Forastero is 
erely a descendant of Criolio, or that Criolio is a 
of Forastero: the change being brought 
Ijy circumstances of soil ana climate in each 
nmK such a change is quite possible and very 
hnfo • shewn by the fact that our host scientific 
. ^f^ta do not find sutficiont distinctive characters 
form, size and 
fruit, leaf and tree) to make more than 
of all our GultivateU vaneties ,• which as Dr. 
^runen truly says, probaly trace their origin to a 
wild parent. 
I he characteristics of the Criolio cacao are tho 
i07. 
Chittondou in di/iiwltwal IJwpz-rf, yqU ii., p. 
thinness of its pod, its rounded beans and pale colour 
of the interior of tho bean on section. The loaves 
of the tree are small wheucompared with the Fora- 
storo varieties and the tree itself is not nearly so 
sturdy and thriving, and does not produce such regular 
and adiundont crops as the Forastero and CalabaciUo 
varieties. The skin of the bean is thinner, and the 
interior has but a small proportion of that bitter 
flavour which is characteristic oi the mifermented beau 
of Forastero and especially that of CalabaciUo. 
Tho flattest beans art those produced by pods of 
the CalabaciUo type. The beans of I'orastero are in- 
termediate between these and the rounded form of 
tho Criolio. 
1 2 3 
Ckiollo. 
FoKASTEitO. 
CAliABACILUO. 
The above sketch of sections of the beans of tho 
three typical varieties, shows the difference in form 
which occurs, but still there wiU be iouiid intermediate 
forms hardly reconcilable with any of the figures, so 
that they are to be taken as representative only of 
tho typical varieties with some latitude. 
There are rounded beans* to bo found iu almost 
every pod towards its extremities, but the proportion 
of rounded beans in CalabaciUo is very small indeed, 
and tho yield of this form of beau increases only as the 
character of the pods approaches tho Criolio type. 
The CalabaciUo, or that class which gives small, roun- 
ded and smooth pods and flat beans, having a bitter 
taste, is the lowest type of cacao that is grown, and 
requires the greatest amount of skill during treatment to 
bring it into marketable form, tho process of ferment- 
ing It, taking more than double tho time r(M]uirod 
for Criolio. The tree however is the strongest grower 
and tho hardiest of all tho varieties and wUl thrive 
on poorer lands, and on lauds on which it would be 
impossible to grow the finer kinds. 
Trees of the Forastero type are also strong growers, 
and its varieties are suitable for most lands m which 
cacao can reasonably bo expected to thrive. It ap- 
proaches the CalabaciUo type by the Auielonado 
variety, both red and yeUow, and certainly stands 
as a largo intermediate and somewhat variable typo 
betw'oen Criolio and CalabaciUo. In general theForU' 
stero type has a thick skin. It approaches the 
Criolio in form, ;or runs into CrioUo by its variety 
Cnndeamar verugosa, red and yellow, but trees may 
be found bearing pods which are hardly to bo dis- 
tinguished from the CrioUo on the one side and tho 
CalabaciUo on the other, thus showing the breadth 
of form covered by this kind. 
It becomes a question, therefore, for the planter 
to ascertain the character of his land with as much 
accuracy as possible before deciding wbat variety of 
cacao he wiU plant. If very poor he can rely upon 
CalabaciUo only. If from moderately good to fairly 
rich, he ahoiUa rely upon the varieties of the h or- 
astero type, but if rich and lasting ground, only the 
best types of Criolio should be planted. 
The generality of plantations are however of so 
mixed a character that it is dilficult to separate one 
kind from another, though there cannot bo any doubt 
that it would more than pay for any extra trouble 
were tho system of planting each type in separate 
fields faithfully carried out. 
* 'flic troi'd *^hcan" in inconxct, hiU as it is the com» 
mou foi IU ,of e;>'j>rcssiou among our cacao iMutcrSi it it 
infid an kivrj better mderstwH than (iug Qther, 
