28 COCONUT PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



The first operation in the process of manufacture is shelling. This 

 is clone by hand with a light hatchet, though in some mills the circular 

 saw is employed to do the workt Shellers are very expert in the use 

 of the hatchet, and work with almost incredible rapidity. "When well 

 practised they are able to shell 2,000 nuts a day. The shelled nuts 

 are then thrown into a long .tank made of wood or masonry, into 

 which water is led. The next process is paring or shaving, usually 

 done by women with the aid of spoke-shavers kept well sharpened, to 

 remove the reddish rind and leave a pure white kernel. At the same 

 time the kernel is Woken open to let the coconut water escape. The 

 more expert will deal with 1,250 to 1,500 kernels per day. As soon 

 as shaving is done the kernels go back to the water, which is some- 

 times treated with lime to secure a whiter product, as exposure to the 

 air, and especially the sun, discolours them, and so affects their 

 quality. Little boys are employed to rub off with pieces of tin like 

 graters any specks of red rind which the women may have left. The 

 nuts, after thorough washing, are then removed to the disintegrating 

 machines, in which they are treated, so as to produce various grades. 

 In one it is ground to a mass and comes out like the grated coconut 

 used for curries. In others it is cut into chips, strips or threads. The 

 product of the machines is removed to the desiccators and dried at a 

 temperature of 160° F. It is then spread out on a lead lined table 

 so that any discoloured particles may be picked out, and after being 

 graded by means of hand sieves or sifters, is packed in tea chests, lead 

 and paper lined, and consolidated with the aid of a, screwpress till each 

 chest contains 130 lbs. Finally the chests are nailed and hooped. 



The rates of payment for busking, shelling and paring are about 

 the same. It used to be 50 cants, but has now risen to 60 cents per 

 1,000. 



Of the by-products nothing is allowed to go to waste. The shells 

 are sold for fuel or converted into charcoal for gas engines. The 

 parings and sweepings are dried and sold to chekku men who get oil 

 and poonac from them. The coconut water is collected and some oil 

 recovered from it. When thera was a shortage of acetic acid for 

 rubber coagulating, this water was allowed to ferment and served as a 

 substitute. 



In selecting a site for a desiccating mill it is necessary to consider 

 the following points : — (I) facilities for securing a regular supply of 

 nuts ; (2) transport facilities ; (3) a good aud reliable water supply ; 

 (4) availability of labour ; (5) fuel supply. 



