196 



The Fermentation of Cacao 



without driving wheel), worked by hand power, 

 which assists materially in drawing the heated 

 air through the building. The driving wheel 

 should be 5 ft. in diameter, with a central 

 grindstone handle, and built locally of wood 

 lead being added to the driving rim. The 

 following Vough sketch of the inner building 

 may assist in giving a clearer idea of the 

 process. 



In the original idea, as explained above, it 



Plan of the ' Whitfield Smith " Hot-air Dryer. 



has not been largely followed in the West 

 Indies, although it has many advantages. Its 

 weak points are expensiveness in labour, fuel, 

 and supervision, taking into consideration 

 that it would probably take three to four 

 working days of ten hours each to completely 

 dry a charge of cacao, and that at least two 

 men would be required, and about one cord of 

 firewood, value 45. to 8s. 



