The Natural History of Chocolate. D. de Quelus

imagined, that a Cocao-Kernel was composed of five or six Parts sticking fast together; Father Plumier himself fell into this Error, and has led others into it.^[12] If the Kernel be cut in two length-ways, one finds at the Extremity of the great end, a kind of a longish Grain,^[13] one fifth of an Inch long, and one fourth Part as broad, which is the Germ, or first Rudiments of the Plant; but in European Kernels this Part is placed at the other end.

      One may even see in France this Irregularity of the Lobes, and also the Germ in the Kernels that are roasted and cleaned to make Chocolate.

      Footnotes

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      1 ↑ Piso says (Montiss. Aromat. cap. 18.) that the Blossom is great and of a bright Yellow, Flos est magnus & flavescens instar Croci. A modern Author has transcribed this. Error of Piso; Floribus, says he, magnis pentapetalis & flavis. Dale Pharmacologia, Pag. 441.

      2 ↑ Appen. Rei Herbariæ. pag. 660. tab. 444.

      3 ↑ See the Remarks at the End of this Treatise.

      4 ↑ Benzo says they grow ripe in a Year, as well as others after him, Annuo Spatio maturescit, Benzo memorante. Carol. Cluzio, l. c. Annuo justam attingens Maturitatem Spatio. Franc. Hernandes, apud Anton. Rech. In Hist. Ind. Occidental, lib. 5. c. 1.

      5 ↑ It seems likely that the Spanish Authors who say there are four Kinds of this at Mexico, have no better Foundation for the difference than this; and Mons. Tournefort had reason to say after Father Plumier, that he only knew one Kind of this Tree. Cacao Speciem Unicam novi. Append. Rei Herb. pag. 660.

      6 ↑ A new Voyage round the World. Tom. 1. Ch. 3. p. 69.

      7 ↑ Pomet's General History of Drugs, Book vii. Ch. xiv. pag. 205. Chomel's Abridgment of usual Plants. Valentin. Hist. Simplicium reform. lib. 2.

      8 ↑ New Relation of the East Indies. Tom. 1. Part 2. Ch. 19.

      9 ↑ A curious Discourse upon Chocolate, by Ant. Colmenero de Cedesma, Physician and Chirurgeon at Paris 1643.

      10 ↑ The History of Adventures. Tom. 1. Pag. 423.

      11 ↑ Ibid.

      12 ↑ In multas veluti Amygdalas fissiles. Tournefort in Append. Rei Herb. Pag. 660. & Tab. 444.

      13 ↑ I can't imagine upon what Foundation Oexmelin could assert, that the Spaniards in the making of their Chocolate, used nothing but this longish Grain, which he calls Pignon. Au Milieu desquelles Amandes de Cacao, est, says he, un petit Pignon, qui a la Germe fort tendre, & difficile à conserver; c'est de cette Semence que les Espaniols font la celebre Boisson de Chocolat. Oexmelin Histoire des Avanturers, Tom. 1. pag. 423. He confirms more plainly the same Fancy, Pag. 426.

      Chap. II. Of the Choice and Disposition of the Place to plant a Nursery.

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      CHAP. II.

      Of the Choice and Disposition of the Place for Planting Cocao-Trees.

The Cocao-Tree grows naturally in several Countries in America under the Torrid Zone, but chiefly at Mexico, in the Provinces of Nicaragua and Guatimala, as also along the Banks of the River of the Amazons.^[1] Likewise upon the Coast of Caraqua, that is to say, from Comana to Cartagena^[2] and the Golden Island. Some also have been found in the Woods of Martinico.

The Spaniards and Portuguese were the first to whom the Indians communicated the Use of Cocao-Nuts, which they kept a long time to themselves without acquainting other Nations with it; who in reality know so little of it at this day, that some Dutch Corsairs, ignorant of the Value of some Prizes they had taken, out of contempt cast the Merchandize into the Sea, calling it in derision, in very indifferent Spanish, Cacura de Carnero,^[3] The Dung of Beasts.

In 1649^[4] in the Vert Islands, they had never seen but one Tree planted, which was in the Garden of an English-Man, an Inhabitant of the Island of St. Croix.^[5] In 1655, the Caribeans^[6] shewed to M. du Parepet a Cocao-Tree in the Woods of the Island of Martinico, whereof he was Governour. This discovery was the Foundation of several others of the same kind, in the Woods of the Cape Sterre^[7] of this Island. And it is probable that the Kernels which were taken out of them, were the Original of those Cocao-Trees that have been planted there since. A Jew named Benjamin planted the first about the Year 1660, but it was not till twenty or twenty-five Years after, that the Inhabitants of Martinico apply'd themselves to the Cultivation of Cocao-Trees, and to raise Nurseries of them.

      When one would raise a Nursery, it is necessary, above all things, to chuse a proper Place, in respect of Situation, and a Soil agreeable to the Nature of it.

      The Place should be level, moist, and not exposed to Winds; a fresh, and (if one may be allow'd the Expression) a Virgin Soil, indifferently fat, light, and deep. For this reason, Ground newly cleared, whose Soil is black and sandy, which is kept moist by a River, and its Borders so high as to shelter it from the Winds, especially towards the Sea Coast, is preferable to any other; and they never fail putting it to this Use, when they are so happy as to find any of this sort.

      I have said, Ground newly cleared, that is to say, whose Wood is cut down purposely for it; for it is necessary to observe, that they at present plant their Nurseries in the middle of Woods, which have been so time out of mind, and this for two weighty Reasons: The First, because the Wood that is left standing round it, may serve as a Shelter; and the Second, because there is less Trouble in weeding or grubbing it. The Ground that has never produced any Weeds, will send forth but few, for want of Seed.

      As for Nurseries planted in high Ground, the Earth is neither moist nor deep enough, and commonly the chief Root which grows directly downwards, cannot pierce the hard Earth which it soon meets with. Besides, the Winds are more boisterous, and cause the Blossoms to fall off as soon as blown, and when a little high, overturn the Tree, whose Roots are almost all superficial.

      This is yet worse on the Hills, whose Descent is too steep; for besides the same Inconveniencies, the falling down of the Earth draws with it the good Soil, and insensibly lays the Roots bare.

      One may therefore conclude that all these Nurseries are a long time before they bear, that they are never fruitful, and that they are destroy'd in a little time.

It is also proper that a Nursery, as much as may be, should be surrounded with standing Wood; but if it is open on any side, it should be remedy'd as soon as possible, by a Border of several Ranks of Trees called Bananes.^[8]

Besides this, the Nurseries should