Copra and its Preparation 407 



experienced in converting 1 the shell into 

 charcoal by the crude native methods, the 

 Tyneside Foundry Company supply a special 

 retort for this purpose. This retort is simple 

 and compact and produces charcoal with the 

 minimum of waste. Used in the producer of 

 a suction gas engine this charcoal provides by 

 far the cheapest motive power for estate use. 



For charging the nuts into the tunnel a 

 truck is wheeled to some convenient part of the 

 factory, where the nuts, split into two or three 

 pieces each, are spread on the trays. Then as 

 one truck of dried copra is drawn out of the 

 hot end of the tunnel this truck is pushed into 

 the cool end. This process goes on continually. 

 The time taken by a truck in passing through 

 the tunnel is about three hours. Opinions 

 vary as to the best drying temperature to be 

 used, but 150 F. seems to be the most 

 generally accepted figure. 



By erecting these tunnels in the loft of the 

 factory, so as to be above the furnace, natural 

 draught can be used for drying, but the out- 

 turn of copra is considerably reduced. The 

 fan only takes i\ h.p. to drive it, and the slight 

 expenditure of pow r er is more than compensated 

 for by the superior results obtained. 



For this method of drying it will be found 

 most convenient to use the loft as a drying 

 room, which takes us to the matter of the 

 " Chula " drying room equipment. The drying 

 room should be sub-divided by rough wooden 



