204 



THE COCO-NUT 



CHAP. 



nut into two halves. The meat is then immediately 

 rasped out of the half-nuts. This is done by means of 

 an instrument known as " kabyawan." This kabyawan 

 is a convex iron burr mounted on the end of an axis 

 around which a cord is wound several times and runs 

 down at each end to a pedal. The burr bears teeth all 

 over its surface. The operator sits in such a position 

 that his feet will conveniently work the pedals, pushing 

 them down alternately and so whirling the axis and 

 burr. The burr is pointed away from him so that when 

 he takes a half-nut in his hands and draws it against 

 the burr he can watch the removal of the meat. The 

 apparatus makes an exceedingly effective rasp for the use 

 of human power. In ordinary practice the meat is re- 

 moved from a nut in about thirty seconds. Kasping a 

 thousand nuts is regarded as more than a day's work 

 except when the work is paid by the unit instead of by 

 time. T\e grated meat falls into a receptacle under 

 the burr, and is then put into a cauldron, such as is 

 used locally for boiling sugar, and heated to the boiling 

 point of water. 



The pulp is then placed in sacks made of rattan, 

 and compressed between two heavy planks. The sacks 

 are usually about 45 cm. wide and 60 cm. long. The 

 plank press is called an " ipitan." The tightening 

 is by one or two screws about 10 cm. in diameter 

 which are set into the back plank, pass through the 

 front plank in an open hole, and outside it bear| a 

 very heavy block of wood which runs on the thread 

 of the screw. By means of this block great pressure 

 can be applied to the front plank. Although made 

 entirely of wood, the press is quite durable and capable 

 of exerting very great pressure. The sap squeezed out 

 usually falls directly into a large wooden bowl placed 

 underneath, or may be collected by a trough. At the 

 first pressing from one-fourth to one-third of the oil is 

 obtained. This oil is of superior quality and finds use 

 as a cosmetic or food. The cake then stands until 

 fermentation begins, and is then ground with stone or 



