Dr. A. Schulte im Hofe rag 
to act on the washed and partially dried beans 
at a temperature of between 40° and 45° C. 
(104° to 113° F.). The result of these experi- 
ments was as previously mentioned. It some- 
times happened that some of the beans only 
showed white spots, which grew larger if the 
beans were left standing. In isolated cases [ 
came across such spots on fully cured coffee 
that had been stored for some time on the 
plantation: The yellowish-white colour of the 
coffee, as well as the, white spots on the 
isolated beans, were caused by acidification. 
If non-acidified, partially dried beans were 
kept for some time at a temperature of 40° 
to 45° C. (104° to 113° F. ), a sufficient amount 
of air being allowed to reach them, the 
yellowish-white colour of the freshly gathered 
beans turned into a greenish-grey fairly rapidly, 
and this colour remained. In treating coffee, 
therefore, care should be taken that no acid 
can penetrate into the kernels or cotyledons of 
the beans, which is enclosed in a parchment- 
like skin. 
On plantations fitted with modern machinery 
the method of procedure is as follows: By a 
mechanical contrivance the parchment covering 
the coffee beans is separated from the fruit, 
and the beans are then fermented and washed. 
This fermentation facilitates the removal of 
the remaining slimy fruit pulp, and thereby 
renders the parchment-like skin more permeable 
to air. Should acid fermentation take place, 
