Letter on Pulpers. 191 



far back as 1860, possesses a certain interest, as 

 giving a sketch of the history of this class of 

 machinery : 



" Pulpers until within the last few years had 

 undergone less change, and shown perhaps less 

 improvement, than any other branch of the coffee 

 planters' business. We had the same old rattle- 

 trap machine, from the earliest introduction of 

 coffee cultivation into Ceylon, with the modification 

 of cast-iron spur and fly wheel, for the wooden 

 ones at first in use with belt and drum. Then 

 came, about ten years ago, and almost simul- 

 taneously, the crusher of Mr. Brown, and the pulper 

 of Mr. Wall. The former has generally worked 

 well, where there is plenty of water, but without 

 that it is found heavy, and, therefore, not much 

 used. The latter, as an article of merchandize, we 

 hear little of now ; and must therefore conclude 

 that either it has not answered the expectation of 

 its originator (who, by the way, took out a patent 

 for it), or that it is too dear to get into general use, 

 or is eclipsed by the more recent inventions. 

 After it, the late Mr. Thomas Affleck was engaged 

 on a new pulper, which was by his friends expected 

 to supersede all that had gone before it. Mr. 

 Affleck's death stopped midway this invention. 1 



1 There is not, I am told, a single pulper on either Mr. 

 Affleck's or Mr. Butler's principle, now in use. AUTHOR. 



