DRYING APPARATUS, ETC. 171 



days is to turn the cacao lying upon the floor evenly and 

 frequently, so that all the beans may have the same 

 amount of exposure. This is effected by the men walking 

 " bare-footed " in straight lines from end to end, using their 

 feet alternately to throw the cacao into small ridges between 

 their two feet, each man taking half of the previously 

 made ridge, right and left, to form the new ridge he leaves. 

 When this operation is well done (workmen get very clever 

 at it) it is very effective, and every bean gets an equal 

 amount of exposure. Perfect cleanliness is maintained by 

 managers, and the feet of the men are frequently washed. 

 There is, however, no contact whatever between the part 

 of the bean consumed and the feet of the labourers, as 

 the whole skin of the bean comes off in the roasting process 

 which it undergoes previous to being made into any of the 

 forms to which manufacturers devote it. 



(4) The operation just described leaves the floor between 

 each ridge exposed to the sun, which allows it to dry, 

 as well as the cacao in the ridge, and if the workman 

 alternately exposes the surface the whole floor is maintained 

 in a dry state, which assists in the dispersion of the 

 moisture of the bean. If the beans were not continuously 

 moved the floors would soak up a large proportion of the 

 exudations from the beans, and the drying operation would 

 not proceed on correct lines. In fact, the method pursued 

 at this stage will materially affect the quality of the bean. 

 As the operations proceed the cacao is made into small 

 heaps at intervals of two or three hours in order to keep 

 the floor space dry, and good operators (carefully watching 

 the weather) will secure great advantage over the negligent, 

 and often save cacao, where the latter would allow it to 

 spoil. If the floors are not allowed to dry, mildew (mould 

 fungus) is sure to make its appearance, although the cacao 

 may be repeatedly turned. This treatment should be 

 continued until the natural mucilage clinging to the skin 

 of the bean is seen to be hardening somewhat and becoming 

 pasty or sticky. 



(5) At this stage comes the operation commonly known 



