128 THE PREPARATION OF COPRA 



scorched, while others are scarcely half-dried. 

 These become mouldy, and frequently decay in 

 transit. 



The leading authorities all agree that, with the 

 rapid development of the industry, it will soon 

 become imperative to adopt some system of 

 artificial drying in order to obviate the difficulties 

 and drawbacks inherent to sun and fire drying. 

 Already there are on the market several very 

 efficient appliances for artificial drying, for which 

 the inventors claim, as compared with the old 

 systems, the following advantages : 



The absolute smokeless quality of a well-finished 

 copra. 



The limited time needed to turn out the com- 

 pletely dried product. 



Better keeping qualities on board ship or in store. 



Superior appearance when shipped. 



Freedom from the mould, dirt, etc., which are 

 usually found in the sun-dried product. 



Messrs. Hamel Smith and Pape, with their prac- 

 tical experience, have each invented a special 

 system of artificial copra drying, and the cost of 

 such appliances is not prohibitive considering the 

 results achieved. For instance, the rotary hot-air 

 drying plant designed by Mr. Hamel Smith, and 

 named after him, provides a total area of 11,000 

 square feet for the treatment of 80,000 Ib. of wet 

 copra per day, which, with an evaporation of 



