IX, A. 2 Pratt: Coconut and its Products 191 



Shredded coconut is manufactured solely for the American 

 market. It requires slightly different methods in preparing the 

 meat and a special shredding machine consisting of a rotating 

 disk with four sets of knives fixed in slots. The knives for 

 making "shred" or "strip" have serrated edges, and are not set 

 at any special angle. The same machine is used for "flake," 

 but with knives having a chisel edge and set at a proper angle. 



A shredding machine with fast and loose pulleys, together 

 with one full set of knives for flakes and another for strip and 

 capable of handling somewhat in excess of 50 kilograms per 

 hour, sells for about 390 pesos. The men at these machines 

 work by the day, and receive from 22 to 32 centavos, with 50 

 per cent extra for overtime. During rush season, when the 

 mill cannot shut down, these laborers invariably refuse to work 

 in day and night shifts, but remain at work for practically 

 twenty-four hours at a stretch. Women workers receive slightly 

 less wages than the men. 



The grating machine consists of a spindle upon which are 

 placed a number of circular saws. These protrude slightly 

 through a grating into a small open cast-iron box to which is 

 given a reciprocating motion. Nuts are pressed into the box, 

 and come into contact with these rapidly revolving saws, while 

 the motion of the box causes all portions of the coconut to be acted 

 upon. A grating machine provided with fast and loose pul- 

 leys and a full set of saws is quoted at 350 pesos, requires 

 approximately 3 horsepower for its operation, and slightly 

 exceeds the capacity of the desiccator described in the following 

 paragraph. 



The freshly cut or "wet" coconut is carried immediately to 

 the desiccating machines. No. 4 Brown's patent desiccator is 

 the best for coconuts, and has been adopted generally by all 

 Ceylon firms handling this product. Each machine has an 

 approximate capacity of 50 kilograms of desiccated nut per hour, 

 and sells for 1,358 pesos. Here the moist product is placed in 

 shallow trays 5 centimeters deep, 1.2 meters square, and having 

 perforated bottoms. The desiccator holds 5 such trays at a time, 

 and consists of a sheet steel chamber through which a current 

 of air heated from 82° to 93° (180° to 200° F.) is rapidly driven 

 by fan. The air is heated as a rule by individual furnaces placed 

 at the side of the machine just outside the desiccating room. 

 The furnaces consume either wood or coal, and frequently 

 coconut shells are burned, although these destroy the fire bars 

 very rapidly unless used with wood or coal. 



