30 THE NATUKE AND CULTIVATION OF COFFEE. 



conveyed to the shipping port. The machine called 

 the pulper passes the cherry between a barrel covered 

 with perforated copper, something like a very large 

 nutmeg grater, and an iron bar or chop, the distance 

 of which is adjusted by means of spiral screws, so as 

 to insure the bean's being pressed against the barrel, 

 but yet not so close for the inner bean to be cut or 

 pricked. The difference of size in the coffee renders 

 this seemingly simple operation one of considerable 

 difficulty, for if the chop is set too close, the larger 

 berries will be crushed, whilst if adjusted to pulp the 

 large coffee only, the smaller berries will pass through 

 unpulped. As at present manufactured, coffee-pulpers 

 are most unsatisfactory machines ; but the usual plan 

 pursued is to set the chop to pulp the larger coffee, 

 and either to have another pulper for pulping the 

 lesser berries, or to return the smaller passed berries 

 to the feeding-trough or chopper, tightening the chop 

 at the same time. Much the best machine yet in- 

 vented is the disk pulper, patented by Messrs. 

 Walker, of Kandy, Ceylon. The coffee passed through 

 this is much less cut than by any other, and will 

 average a higher price in sale. The coffee, after 

 passing through the pulper, is passed on to a cistern, 

 all the pulp, or, as it is called by planters, the tails, 

 coming out at the back of the machine and remaining 

 behind. After twelve hours' soaking, accompanied by 

 slight fermentation, which decomposes the mucilage 

 and facilitates its removal, the beans in the parchment 

 are washed clean and put out on barbacues, or drying- 

 grounds, to dry. These last are sometimes laid in 

 brick and lime or covered with asphalte ; more com- 



