113 



in Trinidad are roller gins of Platts make, and are aboul one-third the 

 capacity of the power gin when driven at the same speed. They can 

 be worked by power and are supplied with parts for that purpose. I 

 was informed thai hand gins can never be expected to do as good work 

 as power machines, on account of the unpreventable variation in speed 

 which occurs with hand labour. The Trinidad hand gins have, how- 

 ever, performed all the work they were called upon to perform during 

 the present season, and their work appears to compare favourably with 

 that done in other colonies. If, however, a large area is planted in 

 Trinidad during the coming season, they will not be sufficiently power* 

 ful to deal with the crop, and further provision would have to be made 

 to meet the wants of growers. 



" On enquiry I find that in none of the islands are advances made 

 for growing cotton, but that full provision is made for ginning and 

 marketing all that can be produced : it is considered a better policy to 

 assist the industry by such means than to make direct advances to 

 the growers. 



" I have, in conclusion, to record my appreciation of the kindness 

 of Sir Daniel Morris in inviting me to inspect the working of the cotton 

 factories under his department, and for the personal trouble he took to 

 ensure that I should make myself fully acquainted with essential 

 details of the machinery and the methods of work which have been so 

 successfully adopted." 



639.-CLAYING AND POLISHING CACAO. 



In the preparation of Cacao no hard and fast rules can be laid 

 down. A great deal depends upon the method adopted for conducting 

 operations during changeable weather, and the requirements of the 

 market sometimes compel the planter to modify his usual style of 

 curing. The object of the following notes is to place before those 

 interested in " Clayed cacao" the fundamental principles upon which the 

 making of a choice sample of this class of Cacao chiefly depend. 



SWEATING OR FERMENTING. 



Upon this operation the colour and quality of the sample in so 

 far as it rests on preparation alone, will mainly rest ; and it may be 

 termed the foundation of a perfect sample. The quality which is 

 obtained by use of our process is that known on the market as " Fine.' 



The object to be attained, is the making of a sample that will 

 become known on the market as being the produce of a certain estate 

 which will always command the highest possible price in the market. 

 This should be the pride of all estate owners and managers. To obtain 

 such results it is essential first of all that the beans should be allowed 

 to ferment not less than 8 to 10 days. 



Supposing the cacao is placed in the sweating boxes on a Saturday, 

 it should be turned on the Tuesday and Friday and not taken out 

 until the Monday morning following, which will give a clear nine days 

 fermentation. On each occasion when the beans are turned, great 

 care should be exercised to see that the top beans go to the bottom 

 and the bottom to the top, and the outside beans to the inside. This 



