Tipe BRAAIE TAN: COBEEE, COUNTRY 923 
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Photo by Robert DeC. Ward 
DRYING GROUNDS, SHOWING METHOD OF SPREADING COFFEE: FAZENDA SANTA 
VERIDIANA, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL 
pushed by laborers along movable tracks, 
for distributing the coffee. 
When carried by water, the coffee is 
brought through an underground channel 
to the surface of the drying grounds, and 
is there shoveled up into a heap, from 
which it is later distributed by means of 
wooden shovels, or hoes (see picture, 
page 922). The water runs off down 
the slope to openings which are provided 
for this purpose. 
The winter weather is ideal for drying 
the beans. With prevailingly clear skies, 
light winds, strong sunshine, dry air, and 
rarely any showers, outdoor drying as 
practiced in Brazil is a remarkable suc- 
cess. The time needed for thoroughly 
drying the berries varies greatly, and it 
requires constant oversight and care on 
the part of the administrador to see that 
each lot of coffee as it lies on the ferret- 
vos receives just exactly the proper 
amount of drying. 
Excessive heat, too rapid drying, too 
little drying, too slow drying—all injure 
the quality, the flavor, the color of the 
beans, and therefore affect the market 
value of the coffee. It is upon the dry- 
ing grounds that the administrador of 
the coffee fagenda has the most need of 
all his training and experience. He is 
constantly on the ground, directing the 
