supply the place of coffee, which is evidently on the decline there.
In 1827, the gross produce of Cuba amounted to 23,806 arrobas, and the
exports to 19,053. In the same year, 15,301¾ arrobas were imported, so
that at that period the production was not adequate to the
consumption. The expectation of a great increase of production seems
not to have been realized, as the exports of cacao in 1837 were only
587¼ arrobas, while the imports amounted to 40,837½ arrobas.

There are now about sixty-nine cacao plantations in that island,
almost exclusively situate in the central and oriental departments,
which produced, in 1849, 3,836 arrobas, valued at 19,180 dollars.

Hayti exported, in 1801, 648,518 lbs. of cacao; in 1826, 457,592 lbs.,
and in 1836, 550,484 lbs.

The French island of Martinique produces a considerable quantity of
cacao. In 1763, there were stated to be 103,870 trees in bearing. The
produce exported in 1769 was 11,731 quintals. In 1770 there were
871,043 trees. In 1820 there were 412 square acres under cultivation
with cacao, producing 449,492 lbs.; and in 1835, 492 hectares, which
yielded 155,300 kilogrammes. I have no later returns at hand.

The beverage generally called _cocoa_ is merely the berries of
_Theobroma Cacao_, pounded and drank either with water or milk, or
with both. _Chocolate_ (of which I shall speak by and bye) is a
compound drink, and is manufactured chiefly from the kernels of this
plant, whose natural habitat would seem to be Guayaquil, in South
America, though it flourishes in great perfection in the West Indies.
It grows also spontaneously and luxuriantly on the banks of the
Magdalena, in South America; but the fruit of those trees that are