128 The Fermentation of Cacao 



the coffee may very likely be damaged and 

 so be less valuable. Although it is true that 

 the acid cannot apparently penetrate the 

 parchment-like covering of the coffee beans 

 as easily as it does the shell of the cacao bean, 

 since fermenting the coffee greatly facilitates 

 its being washed, it is practically impossible to 

 avoid having to prepare the coffee in that way. 1 

 In San Thome a method that completely 

 differs from the above is employed as a rule. 

 The coffee fruit is spread out on cement floors 

 in the open air in fairly thick layers. There 

 it is left for weeks, only being occasionally 

 turned over with shovels. The beans gradually 

 die, and only after they have done so does the 

 actual drying commence. The beans are not 

 left spread out, but are gathered up into heaps 

 or rows in the evening, and spread out again 

 the next morning, and during this process a 



1 According to Dr. Ure, coffee contains : vegetable 

 fibrine, fatty matter, caffeine, legumine, and it is 

 claimed that owing to the pressure and friction which 

 take place in some of the mechanical peelers and 

 polishers, the coffee gets excessively heated, and the 

 oil or fatty contents are brought to the surface of the 

 beans, and gradually evaporate when the coffee comes 

 out of the peeler and is exposed to the atmosphere, 

 losing thereby its natural colour very quickly. Accord- 

 ing to Messrs. McKinnon and Co., Ltd., of Aberdeen, 

 this excessive heating can be avoided, as by the simple 

 though effective method, introduced in their machines, 

 of circulating cold air between the internal parts of the 

 machine, a brilliant and lasting polish and colour is 

 imparted to the beans. H. H. S. 



