HULLING AND MILLING 



COFFEA 



ARABICA 



Manufacture 



or tails. The best design for a factory is a three-storied building placed TU. 

 against tho hillside and so arranged that the cherries are conveyed to the 

 top story without requiring a lift. From there a hopper carries the cherries 

 anil water, in a continuous stream, ou to the grater. Space cannot be 

 afforded to discuss the other numerous inventions that exist for pulping ; 

 suffice it to say that most Indian factories are behind the standard of those 

 in other countries, and that the defects of much of the Indian coffee are 

 .luc n lain I v to the imperfections of the factory. 



Native coffee is mostly dried with the pulp attached, then pounded 

 in a mortar. It is thus practically the system followed in Arabia in ancient 

 times, mid which is still to some extent pursued in that country. 



Fermentation and Washing. On the beans (seeds or berries) passing Washing. 

 >uu'h the sieve they are found to be covered with a sticky mucilaginous 

 iterial. If the contained saccharine matter be not removed it is difficult 

 dry the berries. This is accomplished either by washing or fermenting, Fermenta- 

 more generally by both. The period necessary for fermentation depends tion. 

 itly on the temperature of the atmosphere, but from 12 to 18 hours 

 illy suffice. Mr. Graham Anderson has shown that the amount of 

 Bcharine matter depends on the exposure, and that the produce of young saccharine 

 es will not ferment as readily as that of mature plants. The berries, Matter - 

 ?r thorough washing, are spread out to dry on specially prepared plat- 

 rms which constitute the lowermost portions of the factory. 



Hulling or Milling. This consists of the removal of the parchment Hulling. 

 id silver skin from the beans. As already stated, this operation is usually 

 arformed by the traders and not by the planters. Many firms, especially 

 ; the coast towns, do the milling, such as Staines & Co. of Coimbatore, but a 

 rge proportion of Indian coffee is milled in London. The Indian planters 

 sm to be of opinion that this operation might be much improved by 

 tter machinery than exists in India. [Cf. Planting Opinion, Aug. 

 599.] A bushel of parchment coffee will usually give half the quantity Yield. 

 clean beans. The coffee is then assorted into various grades according 

 size of berries. This not only meets the necessities of various markets, 

 it has the effect of furnishing a uniform berry and one that will roast 

 the same extent throughout. Nothing injures coffee more than a per- 

 sntage of small berries that become charred before the others are suffi- 

 iently roasted. Charcoal absorbs completely the aroma of coffee, hence 

 larred berries are positively destructive of merit. 

 Packing. It is of the greatest consequence also that attention be 

 to the art of packing. If berries be exposed to the drying action of 

 le atmosphere beyond a certain extent, their value may be thereby greatly 

 epreciated. All the best coffee is accordingly packed in casks, the utmost 

 ire being taken that the wood used may not taint the coffee. Packing 

 sacks or bags is much inferior, and if shipped with mixed cargoes, coffee 

 bag may be so tainted as to be next to useless. 



Adulteration and Substitutes. This subject has attracted much 

 jntion for many years. It may be confidently affirmed that although 

 luch difference exists between the coffee of one estate and another, 

 ependent very largely on the process of manufacture and the care bestowed 

 in drying, assorting and packing, direct adulteration never takes place at 

 the plantation. While that is so, there is perhaps no other dietary article Plantation. 

 so much and so persistently adulterated as coffee. This is very largely a caused by High 

 consequence of the legislative measures that prevail in the countries of 



389 



Assortment. 



Size. 



Packing. 



Drying. 



Casks. 



Sacks. 



Adultera- 

 tion. 



e done 





