Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-15
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.

~OCOA Is to be joined with tea
N and coffee as a means of raising
IL war revenue It's use is not so
~ common at the breakfast table
or at the late afternoon luncheon as
either Of those popular beverages. but
it Is common enough for large body
of consumers to be interested In any
tax which may be laid upon It, A con-
sumption tax Of cents pound on
crude cocoa will not add greatly to the
burden or be likely to lessen the con-
sumption
Few people know what cocoa Is The
real word is different. It Is an Indian
word. "cacao," but its proper spelling
long ago yielded to the insistence OF
printers on misspelling it. In most
oficial publications 1t Is now called
cocoa, because official statisticians and
writer's gave up the struggle for the
proper spelling. The printers were too
much for them. However. in the trop-
zeal countries where cocoa is produced
its rightful designation is given It.
-
Generally, chocolate Is meant whom
reference is made to cocoa, though
cup Of chocolate and a cup Of cocoa
are not the same preparation, except
that the basis is the same bean. Cocoa
is more especially preparation for in
valids, while chocolate is liked by
healthy persons
Cocoa and chocolate are really foods
more than beverages. and in that way
they differ from tea and coffee. They
enter into consumption through nu-
merous food preparations. and the bulk
of the product Is used in this manner
rather than as beverage. Yet a cup
of real chocolate is delicious drink
In its best form as a beverage 1t Is
known as Spanish chocolate.
There used to be cafe in Havana
which was famous for its Spanish choc-
olate. Originally 1t was patronized OK
clusively by -Spaniards, but when the
ish chocolate which was to be had at
this particular cafe they crowded out
the Spanish. The moral of this is SIM
ply that making chocolate, like brew
ing tea or preparing coffee, is an art
possessed by certain nationalities.
Chocolate. in its primary form, is a
bean. but very different from the cof-
fee berry. A cocoa orchard begins to
trees are much larger than the coffee
tree. and their productivity is much
greater. The beans grow in . pulpy
mass. a handful Of them. and are ex
quill. in Ecuador. in the shipping sea-
son. there are literally acres of choco-
late beans spread out along the wharves
TO dry. Their treatment is compare
lively simple.
Cocoa is ono of tho tropical articles
which is not overproduced, nor is 1t
produced everywhere throughout the
tropics. 1t is limited to few favored
of Africa and the section known as
Portuguese Africa, of which st. Thomas
is the principal section.
The South American countries lying
most directly under the equator are
large producers Of cocoa Brazil, Ecua-
dor and Venezuela lead in the crop
Some cocoa also is produced in Central
of the islands of the Caribbean are
especially adapted to cocoa raising
These are Trinidad. Grenada and Santo
Domingo.
Cocoa is a fairly steady crop. and itr
production Is not subject to the un-
certainties of most tropical crops such
as coffee and sugar. The price does not
vary as widely as do some of the other
one of the most profitable ones tina,
exist In the warm countries which have
been found suitable to 1t.
The world crop ranges from 500, ooo.-
900 pounds upward every year Ir
1915 IT amounted TO e25.0o0.ooO pounds
OF this quantity the Gold Coast an6
Portuguese Africa produced about 223.-
100000 pounds South America wa:
pounds. of which Brazil contributed
Io2 900 900 pounds and Ecuador Y, 000,-
600 pounds. Venezuela produced 81.
100000 pounds. The total Contra
American production was a little more
than 100000 pounds The West In.
dies exceeded 116. 900 900 pounds Santt
Domingo contributed 81, 500 900 pounds
of this West India production anc
Trinidad 100000 pounds Other coun.
tries throughout the world produced
about 15.0eo.000 pounds.
The United States is the greatest con.
sumner of cocoa among the countries OF
the world. but not the greatest con.
sumner per person. With populat ior
of more than 100, 200, 900, 1t consumed
about ls6.0o0.000 pounds in 1915 ant
50.oo0.o00 pounds more in 1915, while
the United Kingdom. with a population
of 100000. consumed l04 900 ,00t
pounds. Germany's consumption in tn,
first year of the war. when the sup
plies were still open. was about l00
900, 600 pounds, while France consumed
In excess of IS. 600. 900 pounds HOLLAND
accounted for 100000 pounds, Will.
Switzerland was responsible for $4,000
900 pounds.
These figures of consumption, how
ever, are import figures. They do no
nfan that each country consumes tn,
cuantity imported. for several of tn,