( 31 ) 
which, with 889 vines to the acre, is equivalent to 
approximately 2,500 to 3,000 lbs. of dry pepper per 
acre per annum. 
Curing . — Black pepper consists of the ground whole, 
dried berries. When this form of pepper is required, 
the spikes are gathered when only a few of the 
fruits are ripe and red, and placed on mats to dry 
in the sun. The quality of the pepper can be 
improved considerably by plunging the berries into 
boiling water for a few minutes immediately before 
they are spread to dry. This “ kills ” the green 
fruit, which would otherwise take some time to 
wither, and accelerates the drying process. When 
the pepper is dry it turns black and is then rubbed 
by hand to separate the stalks, which are removed 
by winnowing. 
When large quantities of berries have to be dried 
quickly, drying rooms with artificial heat are 
generally used. 
White pepper consists of the ripened berries, de- 
prived of their black covering before grinding. In 
order to obtain a white pepper of good quality the 
gathering is delayed until nearly all the berries on 
the spikes are of a red colour, but since the fruits 
on the same spike ripen so irregularly this is not 
always possible. 
After gathering, the fruits are detached from the 
branches by pressing them underfoot. The berries 
are then put in large bags and placed in running 
water, where they are allowed to soak for seven 
to ten days. When the skins are sufficiently loose 
and soft, the berries are put into tubs, where they 
are stamped underfoot in a little water and washed 
