The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-11-01
Cac-o PlaatatIsns.

A correspondent of the New York Post. writing
from Rio Janeiro gives the following sketch Of
the cacao antations-origin Of chocolate. etc.:
During my present visit to Brazu nave iouna
Southerner from Texas. who, instead OF following
the example Of his self expatrhted felow-country.
men in attempting the cultivation OF sugar and
cotton, betook himself to the most delightful ADD
productive branch of agriculture that man can
engage in; namely, that of oacao, from which
chocolate ia manufactured. The tree, called
cacoci,'os. which produces the cacao, forms beau
tiful plantations. have seen IL growing In long
rows on the banks of the Amazon.
As the people of the United states are becoming
each yesr greater consumers Of prepared cacso,
under the various names of chocolate, cocoa,
broma etc. have thought il might be interest
np and instructive to describe the methods of its
culture and preparations for market. aa "
Mai Coutfnho who assembled the Amozon with
Professor Agassiz. informs me that ia the prov.
ibce of Para, -four hundred miles from the sea,
family of six persons can take of Is 500 cacao
plants or trees, the two harvests for which flor
there lie one In November and another 10 April
will ordinarily yield 81 1854 pounds which, at the
lowest price Il sells for Wholesale. will bring s53z7
10 gold. In the interval of the harvests, mandio-
co. corn, beans and other necessaries Of life in the
tropic, can be cultivated, so that almost every
pound of cacao will be clear profit. But suppose
the family expended 1927. including In this sum
the cost Of transporting the cscao to market,
there will still be profit of $4,000, or 5000 % TO
each person engaged. lthas been found oy ac-
tual experience that cacao gives return Tor each
workman employed five times more than that re-
ceved from the cultivation of coffee, and six times
more than that received for sugar.
THE ORIGIN OF CHOCOLATE.
When Cortex, in 1920, penetrated with his ad
venturers followers the empire Of Montezuma. he
found large cacao plantations. which dated from
=" time imme morable." The Mexicans attributed
the plant to divine origin, and indeed paid TO 1t
certain honors. They planted 1t, harvested 1t,
q d made IL into chocolate with religious ceremo.
mails. The fruit served them as money, and when
roasted, ground and mixed with water and scented
with vanilla, beverage was obtained which they
considered not only to be appreciated by the mo-
blest of earth, but fitted for the gods to drink in
glowing language, worthy OF Brillst de Savarin,
Mr.. Prescott, in his Conquest Of Mexico" has
described the reports Of Montezuma. wherein
chocolate plays such an important part. From
the " conquistadores Europe first learned OF the
use of chocolate as beverage and food-for 1t Is
both. When, however. the Mexicans learned to
brown the fruit of the cacociros, and make it into
the delicious drinks and cgeBlis, no one knows.
Suffice to say that those who we're left OF the
" conquistadores " took back to the West Indies
and thence to Spain the cscao and the knowledge
of its manufacture. For a long time Spain true
to her narrow notions, would not allow cscao to
be exported to foreign ports, and for many years
other countries of Europe did not know what
chocolate was.
CONSUMPTION OF COCOA.
Although France was the last great division Of
Europe into which chocolate was introduced, she
had become the greatest and best manufacturer
of cocoa in the world. All Europe imports forty
two million pounds. The commercial movement
of chocolate in Europe is represented by about
$40 600 900. Spain is the greatest consumer, and
is the only country where chocolate formsa prin-
cipal ingredient in the aimentation of the common
people. France consumes a third part of the
European importation. The remainder IL distrib-
uted smong Italy. Portugal. Germany. England
and Russia. The United States imports scarcely
two millions of pounds. while an equal population
10 Francemakes away with nearly thirteen million
pounds and is constantly increasing in its con-
sumption. In ls49 France imported 3. l32 I'll kilo-
grammes Of two pounds each; in 1865 her importa-
ton was G. Asa 767 kiogrammes.