76 



The Philippine Journal of Science 



it escapes without any rise in the temperature of the pile. The 

 theory of some of the copra men that the moisture content of 

 the copra is increased by the condensation of moisture from 

 the cool air surrounding the warm copra is absolutely untenable. 



Table XV. — Data on machine-dried copra stored in sacks. 



Date. 



I 



Copra. 







Sample. 





Air. 



°C. 



31 



30.5 



30.5 



30.5 



31.5 



31.5 



II. 



III. 



IV. 



V. 



Copra. 



Air. 



Copra. 



Air. 



°C. 



29.5 



29.0 



30.0 



31.0 



31 



30.5 



Copra. 



°C. 



30 



30.5 



29.5 



32.0 



29.1 



31.5 



°C. 



30 



30 



30 



32.5 



28.5 



31.5 



Copra. 



Air. 





°C. 

 31 

 30 

 30 

 31 

 32 



•6.1 

 4.9 



°C. 

 30 

 29 

 28 

 29 

 29 

 29 



°C. 



30 



30 



29.5 



29 



29.5 



29.5 



°C. 

 29.5 

 29.0 

 30.5 

 31.0 

 30.5 

 31 



°C. 



30.5 



31.0 



29.5 



32 



32 



32.4 



°C. 

 30.5 

 31.0 

 30.0 

 32.0 

 81.0 

 31. S 













Original water P. ct.. 



Water May 15.... do.... 





5.9 





4.8 





4.1 





4.1 





Moisture content of a general sample made up of I. II, III, IV, and V. 



COPRA-DRYING METHODS IN USE 



The poor quality of Philippine copra due to insufficient drying 

 and improper handling is, of course, dependent upon the methods 

 employed. There are two general methods in use in the Islands, 

 sundrying and kiln drying; improvement of both is possible to 

 a certain extent. The sundrying method used throughout the 

 southern islands produces the better grade of copra ; it consists 

 simply in halving the nuts, without previously husking, and 

 exposing the meat to the sun. Where sufficient care is exercised 

 in the way of cleanliness and complete drying, the method pro- 

 duces an excellent grade of copra. 



The periods of daily rains do not favor this process in parts 

 of the Philippine Islands, and there the grill method is used. 

 In the grill, or tapahan, process the nuts are husked, halved, and 

 placed on bamboo mats, under which shells and husks are 

 burned. 15 After the meat is partially dry, it is removed from the 

 the shells and is subjected to further drying. Analyses show 

 that the finished product as it leaves the dryer contains at least 

 20 per cent moisture. 



" For more complete description of sundrying and grill methods, §ee 

 Pratt, D. S., Thia Journal, Sec. A (1914), 9, 177. 



