and the Preparation of Anatto. 277 



still in a state of seeds when thrown away as useless. An 

 attempt has been made to introduce machinery for this pur- 

 pose, but it has been abandoned without sufficient reason. 



When the grains are pounded in the first trough they are 

 carried to the^umnersing tub, where they are diluted in a 

 quantity of water sufficient to cover them, and in which 

 they are left some months until they are pressed. The mat- 

 ter is pressed in sieves, which are placed above the immersing 

 trough, that the water which holds the colour in solution 

 may fall into it. The grains are then carried to the dis- 

 charging trough, and covered with leaves : they are left in 

 that situation till they ferment; they are then put in succes- 

 sion into the pounding trough, the immersing trough, &c. 

 till thev contain no more colour. When no more seeds 

 remain in the immersing trough the colour is diluted wilix' 

 water, and women make it pass through sieves placed over 

 the straining trough, in order to separate the remains of the 

 .seeds. This operation is performed badly, and in a slow 

 manner. The matter which has passed through remains in 

 the trough till it has deposited the colour; which is generally 

 the case at the end of tifteen days, or sooner when the wea- 

 ther is cold or damp. The water from which the colour has 

 been precipitated is carried back to the immersing tub to 

 dilute other seeds, because it has been observed that it acce- 

 lerates the fermentation better than pure water. 



When the anatto has been precipitated, which is known 

 by the liquor being uncoloured, it is boiled in kettles, stir- 

 ring it continually until it is reduced to the state of paste. 

 When cold it is spread out in boxes to the thickness of from 

 eight to ten inches, and is dried in a place sheltered from 

 the sun, which would blacken it. When it is so dry that a 

 mass of about fifteen pounds can be taken up by thrusting 

 the hand into it, it is put into baskets lined with leaves, ana 

 carried to market. Each basket weighs about seventy pounds. 



When about to be put into casks, cakes of the diameter 

 of the cask are formed upon leaves of the balalou, and they 

 are pressed into the cask, till it is full. The cask ought to 

 weigh from 300 to 330 pounds, and to contain no more 

 than ^|}_ of leaves. But on such occasions a great number 

 of frauds are committed : on this account government for- 

 merly appointed comn)issioners to verify the quality of the 

 anatto. 1 hey took a determinate quantity, which they wash- 

 ed several times; and if the residuum exceeded a twelfth 

 part the anatto was rejected. The goodness of it is tried 

 also by rubbing a little of it on the nail : if after being 

 S 3 washed 



