CLASS XVIII. POLYADELPHIA. 
DECANDRIA. 
206. CHOCOLATE is a kind of cake or hard paste, some- 
limes made of different ingredients, but the basis of which is the 
pulp of the cacao or chocolate nut, a produce of the West Indies 
and America. 
The chocolate tree (Theobroma cacao, Fig. 54,) both in size 
and shape, somewhat resembles a young cherry tree, but it 
separates near the ground into four or five stems. The leaves are 
each about four inches in length, smooth but not glossy, and of 
dull green colour. Thejlowers are saffron-coloured, and very 
beautiful. 
The fruit of the chocolate-tree somewhat resembles 
a cucumber in shape, but is furrowed deeper on the 
sides. Its colour, while growing, is green ; but, as it 
ripens, this changes to a fine bluish red, almost purple, 
with pink veins ; or, in some of the varieties, to a deli- 
cate yellow or lemon colour. Each of the pods con- 
tains from twenty to thirty nuts or kernels, which in 
shape are not much unlike almonds. These are ar- 
ranged in rows, surrounded by a sweet pulpy substance, 
and are called cacao or chocolate-nuts. 
Plantations of chocolate trees are numerous on the 
banks of the river Magdelana, in South America, and 
in the Caraccas ; but, at present, there are very few in 
our own colonies. They are usually formed in morassy 
situations ; and are sheltered from the intense heat of 
the sun by larger trees which are planted among them. 
There are two principal crops of chocolate-nuts in the 
year; the first in June, and the second in December. 
As soon as the fruit is ripe, it is gathered, and cut into 
slices j and the nuts, which at this time are in a pulpy 
state, are taken out with the hand ; for the thinness of 
their husk precludes the possibility of using a machine. 
They are then laid in skins, or on leaves, to be dried in 
