2O4 The Fermentation of Cacao 



the necessary work of refilling a set of spare 

 trays for the next charge whilst the first 

 charge is being dried, close the air-tight door, 

 start the exhaust pump, and regulate the 

 temperature. At first glance it would appear 

 advisable to use a rotary vacuum cylinder 

 in place of a stationary rectangular vacuum 

 chamber in order that polishing might be 

 effected at the same time as drying, but, taking 

 into consideration additional difficulties in pre- 

 serving a good vacuum in a rotary machine, 

 and the fact that four hours' slow rotating 

 would not perceptibly polish the seed, one is 

 forced to conclude that with the beans placed 

 three or four deep on the trays it would be 

 necessary to break the vacuum after about one 

 and a half hours' drying, and pass the beans 

 through a polisher for ten minutes to give them 

 the best appearance, and prevent them adhering 

 to one another, and then return them to the 

 dryer to complete curing. If cacao "washing" 

 were economically possible, polishing might be 

 saved and the drying process in vacuum carried 

 out straight to its end, when a very slight hand 

 manipulation would serve to separate adhering 

 seeds. With the necessity of polishing, an 

 average day's work would hardly cover more 

 than two charges of the dryer, but during 

 crop pressure three charges per diem might be 

 put through. This point is of importance in 

 establishing the size of dryer necessary for an 

 estate, and due regard must be paid to the 



