The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-09-18
How chocolate IS obtained.

Mexicans cultivated cocoa and prepared
it in cakes like chocolate. It appears
that the use of cocoa was introduced
after the conquest into other parts OF
the continent. The cocoa prospers in
the damp, warm forests of South Amer
lea and among its rank vegetation. NJ.
Goudot found it in New Granada grow
ing prOfusely. He saw trees there
twenty four feet high, from whose bit
tel bean was prepared a chocolate that
was considered an excellent febrifuge.
The Indians only eat the pulp and are
ignorant of the rich beverage the grain
can furnish. It was the Spahi ards that
first brought cocoa into notice in En-
rope, and then in the New World, where
its cultivation is an important CONNER
cial factor. In tropical countries cocoa
plantations are started in virgin soil
If started on land that has previously
grown corn, sugar cane or other crops.
the result is poor. This plant or tree
needs a rich soil, deep and damp, and
also Eeas and shade, and is grows well
on slopes where streams can run. The
Plantations are in hot lands near the
sea, and near rivers and streams. At
ter ground is selected the first thing
done is to secure shade. Generally trees
radicated serve this purpose, but in
many cases trees are set out that are
known to grow rapidly. Around Cara
cas-, Venezuela. the bucaro is used, while
IN Mexico the broad Ieaved plantain is
selected. In Guaysquil province, Ec-
uador, the cocoa bean is planted. In
Venezuela it is first planted in nurse
ry, and the places where the bean is
planted are covered with plantain leaves.
The sowing in the latter case is done
Just prior to the rainy season, and if
well watered till rain comes the shoots
appear in about eight days. When two
years old the shoots are transpIapted
from tne nurseries. In the upper valley
of the Magdalena river the plants grow
under rush roofs and are watered from
streams turned on the roof. It is very
seldom the tree has flowers until it is
thirty months along, and some planters
destroy the first flowers and do NOT LET
buds blossom until the fourth year In
unfavorable localities six or seven wears
pass before the flowers appear. 1t is
very small in any case. Generally four
months elapse before the perfect fruits
succeeds the flowers The fruit is long
In form, slightly curved, and sharp at
one extremity It is about an inch in
length, and at its thickest half an inch
in diameter. The outside skin is fur
rowed lengthwise. in color it varies
from greenish white to a violet the
meat is white, but sometimes has rose
TINT; the pulp, sugarY aud acid, has an
agreeable flavor the seeds are in the
fruit, and there are almost always twen-
ty-tve the almonds are white, oily and
slightly bitter. and in drying darken.
On the plantations two regular cIops
are gathered yearly. But it is not an u0-
usual sight on some plantations to gath
er the year round and have fruit and
flower on the same stem. 1t is caIcuJa-
ted that every hundred Kilograms of
fresh almonds yields forty. five to fiftv
Kilograms of dry cocoa ready for the
market. The bean contains albumen
ard also colOring and oily matter. Co
Goa, up to the sixteenth century, was
condemned. Bensoni, in his ''Historv
of the New World, - sets it down as a
diet for hogs. On the other hand, Her
nando Cortez, the conqueror, said cup
of cocoa could sustain soldier for an
entire days march. Ttco Republics,
City Of 1Ie1ico.