beans are washed, or trodden with the naked foot, in some countries, and so cleansed from the pulp remains still adhering. They are then allowed to dry in the open air, and packed into sacks; contact with metal or stone is strictly to be avoided, which as good conductors of heat and rapid cooling agents are most disadvantageous. Instead of piling the beans up in loose heaps, they may be fermented in “Tanks” made of wood, and where possible, provided with partitions. According to Kindt, cedar wood has been proved best for this purpose, because of its enormous resisting capacity. It used to be thought that in fermentation ensued a germination of the seed,[8] as in the preparation of malt; but this idea has been proved erroneous. The contrary is rather the case, for the process almost kills the seed; and when the sensitiveness of the latter is taken into consideration, and also the fact that it only develops under the most favourable conditions, it must be allowed that the statement contains an obvious truth. Yet chemical change does take place in the fermentation of the seed; but as to its precise nature, owing to the lack of scientific research on the scene of operations, we are still unable to dogmatise. It would therefore be useless to discuss the manifold theories and speculations bearing on this point, and waste of time to discuss the various kinds of fermentation and the chemical processes therein involved. Yet it may almost be taken for granted, that the fresh-plucked bean contains a so-called glycoside[9] which decomposes into grape sugar, into an equally amyloids colour stuff (the so-called cacao-red), and the nitrogeneous alkaloids Theobromine and Kaffein; a change probably incidental to the fermentation.[10] The sugar might further split up into Alcohol and Carbonic Acid Gas, although this is by no means established. Whilst we have lost our bearings as far as the chemical aspect of this process is concerned, we are much more firm in respect to the biological, thanks to researches which Dr. v. Preyers has conducted on the spot in Ceylon. Preyer’s[11] experiments leave absolutely no room for objection, and it can safely be accepted that there are no bacteria present in fermentation, but a fungus-like growth rich in life, a kind of yeast by him called Saccharomyces Theobromae, and described in passing;[12] facts which constitute the gist of his findings. He further establishes that the presence of bacteria often noticed is absolutely undesirable, and that better results are obtained when all life is energetically combated, and especially these bacteria. We should, then, be confronted with the same phenomenon in the preparation of cacao as are already met with in beer brewing, and the pressing of wine and which are still waited for in the preparing of tea and tobacco.