192 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



During the course of from thirty to sixty minutes, the mois- 

 ture content is reduced to the allowable maximum of 1.5 to 2 

 per cent, leaving a paper-white product that crumbles readily 

 between the fingers. 



The dry coconut is now removed to mechanically operated 

 screens and sifted into fine, medium, and coarse grades, differ- 

 ing merely in relative size but with no distinction in quality. 

 All products of this class are made by essentially the same 

 process and from the same nuts. Granulated, chips, thread, 

 and shredded coconuts vary only in form according to the re- 

 quirements of the various markets. The graded products are 

 taken to the packing room, where they are spi'ead out on zinc- 

 topped tables to cool for from two to three hours before being 

 placed in chests. These chests are made either from dark 

 Ceylon redwood or a better quality of Japanese Momi wood. 

 Tea-lead linings are made over proper-sized forms by skilled 

 workmen who have learned to solder the easily fusible foil, an 

 operation requiring considerable practice. Many chests are im- 

 ported from Japan, both for packing desiccated coconuts and for 

 tea. These cost from 64 to 80 centavos each at the wharf. 

 The coconut is packed in these chests by aid of a hand press 

 and is hermetically sealed, the net weight being about 59 kilo- 

 grams per chest. 



It is estimated that the "wet" coconut loses approximately 

 50 per cent of its weight during desiccating, and owners of Co- 

 lombo mills expect an average of 150 kilograms of desiccated 

 product per 1,000 nuts. In northern districts this figure is 

 frequently as high as 173 kilograms. Attempts have been made 

 in southern India to produce desiccated coconut products, but 

 have not been successful owing to competition with Ceylon, 

 partially because nearly twice as many Malabar nuts are required 

 for a given output and also because of the higher cost of Indian 

 coconuts. 



It is difficult to estimate the number of laborers employed 

 in the desiccating mills in Ceylon, but one of the largest of the 

 four principal ones employs between 500 and 600 men, women, 

 and children at an average wage of 28 centavos per day. These 

 mills with this force are able to handle from 75,000 to 90,000 

 nuts per day. 



All of the desiccated coconut is exported, the bulk of it going 

 to the following countries in the order named: Great Britain, 

 Germany, and the United States. The yearly export and dis- 



