Page:Cacao by Dahlgren, B. E. (Bror Eric).djvu/20

12 valued at twenty-three million dollars. Most of the supply is still derived from northern South America, particularly from Ecuador and Brazil, from the West Indian San Domingo, and from the island of Trinidad off the delta of the Orinoco. Each of these countries furnishes over twenty thousand tons each year. Venezuela exports a little more than half as much; the Caribbean island Grenada about a quarter, or about five thousand tons a year. Cuba, Porto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, and other West Indian islands produce smaller quantities, while Mexico evidently supplies only a negligible amount for export. In all, the American production amounts to over a hundred and fifty thousand tons. The rest of the world's output combined, adds only a third more to the available supply. The cultivation of the Cacao has been undertaken on the West Coast of Africa; on the Gold Coast, in Cameroons and in the Congo Free State, but by far the greater part of the African supply is furnished by Sao Thomé. This small Portuguese island in the Gulf of Guinea, alone yields more cacao beans than any single American country. In Asia, cacao growing has been tried, and Ceylon and the Dutch East Indies together sometimes yield as much as the island of Grenada; but on account of serious inroads of fungus diseases of the trees, Cacao has not been a success in this region, which otherwise is perfectly suitable, as to temperature, rainfall and freedom from drought, for the cultivation of the tree.

The African supply goes directly to Europe. It is not considered to be of a high grade. The American product is superior. That from a district in Guatemala, Soconusco, has the reputation of being the best of all, but like genuine Mocha coffee and the very finest of tea, it scarcely ever comes into the market. Of the export grades, the heavy beans from Ecuador and from western Venezuela, those from Colombia and [ 36 ]