The latent heat released by cumulus clouds is very important to the energies of many large-scale tropical disturbances. The number of cumulus clouds involved in these disturbances is usually very large. The collective effects of cumulus clouds must therefore be incorporated into a large-scale model in a parameterized fashion. Present parameterization schemes are briefly reviewed. Recent advances in our understanding of the control and feedback processes between cumulus clouds and the large-scale circulations are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the implications of the results of recent diagnostic studies on the future development of the theory of cumulus parameterization.