Dr. Lucius Nicholls 245 



right yeasts to his boxes, it is urged that the 

 planter should employ cultures for the starting 

 and prolonging of fermentation. If cultures 

 of yeasts are well mixed up with fresh beans, 

 sweating starts sooner and continues longer, 

 and a better sample is obtained than by the 

 ordinary process. The reason is that the 

 yeast cells obtain the first chance and then 

 extraneous organisms cannot so easily get the 

 upper hand. 



If it is desirable to prolong fermentation 

 it can be done in this manner : a solution 

 containing 5 per cent, glucose and ^> per cent, 

 each of calcium phosphate, calcium sulphate, 

 magnesium sulphate, potassium nitrate, and 

 sodium chloride is poured over the beans on 

 about the fourth day, when the temperature 

 begins to fall ; the temperature will now rise 

 and fermentation will be continued for about 

 two days longer than usual. The cost of this 

 solution would be the price of about 2 oz. of 

 beet sugar, for the salts of this strength cost 

 practically nothing, and the two resulting pints 

 of this solution would be nearly sufficient for 

 the contents of two large sweating boxes. 



If samples prepared by cultures of yeasts are 

 examined, the perfect break, the through and 

 through colour, and the ease with which the 

 testa separates from the kernel show them to 

 be far better than the average sample. 



If planters used a definite culture of yeast a 

 more uniform and thoroughly sweated sample 

 of beans would be placed upon the market. 



