Mechanical Extraction of Fibre 565 



the illustration on p. 368y by which it can be 

 seen that the operator stands or sits over the 

 spike, and strikes the point of it with each 

 husk in such a manner that it enters between 

 the nut and the husk, and causes them to 

 separate, generally into three parts. 



The cost of husking by hand in this way 

 undoubtedly varies considerably according to 

 the labour employed, whilst the exact rate at 

 which it can be done as a continuous job is also 

 difficult to ascertain. See, for instance, p. 89, 

 where 500 nuts a day are spoken of as a fair 

 day's work in Malaya, or 1,000 and over in 

 the Philippines. We would say that to husk 

 1,000 nuts in a day was a very heavy task 

 even for exhibition purposes, as that means 

 100 nuts per .hour (or five nuts in three 

 minutes) for ten hours a day, exclusive of rests 

 and meals ; therefore it would be best perhaps 

 to start estimating for 500 nuts a day (five 

 nuts in six minutes) until you find you can 

 turn out a larger number. Probably the best 

 and speediest way would be to pay the operator 

 by the hundred nuts, say, 5 cents to 10 cents, 

 according to local conditions, and then leave 

 the men to decide what quantity they can best 

 do when working at full and continuous speed 

 for several consecutive days each week. 



After the husks have been separated from 

 the nuts they are then taken away to the 

 soaking tanks. These have to be specially 

 constructed and provision made for a constant 



