Drying Peeling. 219 



drying on the estate, in order to insure its escaping 

 fermentations during transit. 



Probably, however, before being sent off, it may 

 have to be kept some considerable time in store, in 

 which case it must be kept either constantly turned 

 over, or else acted upon by the fan process before 

 described ; otherwise it is certain to become musty. 



As soon as the beans are perfectly dry, and as 

 hard as to break between the teeth like a piece of 

 ivory, they are fit for being peeled. This operation is 

 in Ceylon and S. India almost always performed at 

 the port of shipment, but such is not the case in 

 S. America, nor, I believe, in the West Indies, and 

 elsewhere. Some account, therefore, of the process 

 may prove useful in cases where the planter may 

 have to set up and keep the machinery in opera- 

 tion for himself. 



Peeling mills of great variety have been tried, and 

 much time spent and expense incurred in trying to 

 improve them, but so far no better machine has 

 been found than the old edge runner. A trough, 

 describing a circle of 15 feet diameter, will peel with 

 ease 12 cwt. of market coffee per hour, and if properly 

 made will not break any. After the coffee has 

 been peeled it is placed in the fan and its parch- 

 ment blown away. A badly-constructed fan will 

 throw out a quantity of coffee along with the 

 chaff, but this can always be detected by the sound 



