COCK-UP, the Begti fish of the Ganges. COCOA.
Ko-ko, Kwo-kau, CHIN. I Kakao, GER.
Cacao, FR I COMO, . IT., PORT., SP.
Cocoa, also written Cacoa, is the nut or seed of the Theobroma cacao, a plant of the W. Indies and the continent of America. Lindley mentions also T. bicolor, and T. Guineensis. T. cacao has been introduced into India, Ceylon, the Philippines, Celebes, Amboyna, and China. The cocoa tree flourishes best in the alluvial soil of mountain valleys, though it will grow well at some elevation on mountain-sides. The varieties are numerous, some producing very superior fruit to others. The plants begin to bear a,t from 5 to 7 years of age ; dur ing this period the inter-spaces between the rows of trees can be rendered productive by planting yams and vegetables in them. A free ventilation of air should be ensured to each tree, and this cannot well be attained with a smaller space than 30 feet. Large forest trees of favourable sorts require to be scattered amongst them, to protect them ; the tree used for this purpose in the W. Indies and S. America is one of the Bombacem. There are two crops in a year. The average return, when the trees are planted close together is from 1 to 3 lbs. ; but as much as from 9 tO 16 lbs. may be procured by proper planting and cultivation. Great care is required in curing the cocoa, after it is separated from the pod ; and on the method of fermenting and drying depends very much the production of a good or bad article. According to its preparation, it realizes from 60s. to 120s.
per cwt. in bond. 17,000,000 lbs. of cocoa were imported into Britain in 1871, upwards of 7,300,000 lbs. being entered for home con sumption. Cacao seeds were inade use of by the Mexicans, previous to the arrival of the Spaniards, boiled with maize, and roughly bruised between two stones, and eaten seasoned with capsicum or honey. The seeds are contained in a husk 4 or 5 inches in length ; and dried, roasted, and ground, they constitute cocoa; mixed with starch and finely ground, soluble cocoa. Choco late is the same flavoured and made up into a paste. As seen in the market, cocoa is in the form of flake, granulated, soluble, rock, dietetic, hommopathic cocoa, broma, etc., largely adulte rated with 5 to 50 per cent. of sugar and starch. Flake cocoa generally contains the worthless husk, which forms about 12 per cent. of the seeds; but genuine flaked cocoa of good quality cannot be purchased under tenpence or one shilling per pound, yet it is no uncommon circutnstance to see, in London shop windows, samples ticketed fivepence and sixpence per pound ; such samples at this prico must either be damaged or adulte rated. Cocoa contains the alkali theobromine, in which there is a larger amount of nitrogen than is in thaw, so that tea, coffee, and cocoa may all be regarded as containing the same nutritious prin ciple.-111. E. J. Il.; lIasvall; Simmonds; Craw furd ; Kew Musetun; lloyle.