Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1851-10-18

rel OF wood, covered with sheet copper, per-
forated coarsely outward, very like a huge
nutmeg-grater. This barrel is made to re-
volve rapidly, nearly in contact with two
chocks of wood. The coffee in the cherry
being fed on to this by hopper, is forced be-
tween the perforated barrel and the chocks :
the projecting copper points tear off the soft
cherry while the coffee beans, in their parch-
ment case, fall through the chocks into a
large box. These pulpers Qour in number)
were worked by a water-wheel of great pow
er, and turned out in six hours as much cof.
fee as was gathered by three hundred men
during the whole day.
From the pulper-box the parchment coffee
is shoveled to the s'cisterns''-e enormous
square wooden vats. In these the new coffee
is placed, just covered with water, in which
state it is left for periods varying from twelve
to eighteen hours, according to the judgment
OF the manager. The object of this soaking
is to produce slight fermentation of the mu-
cilaginous matter adhering to s'the parch-
ment," in order to facilitate its removal, as
otherwise it would harden the skin, and rem.
der the coffee very difficult to peel or clean
When inspected the works on Soolook ande
Iseveralcsterns offermented coffee were being
turned out, to admit other parcels from the
pulper, and also to enable the soaked coffee
to be washed. Coolies were busily employ
ed shoveling the berries from one cistern to
another; others were letting on clean water.
Some were busy stirring the contents of the
cisterns briskly about; while some, again,
were letting off the foul water and a few
were engaged in raking the thoroughly -wash-
ed coffee from the washing platforms to the
barbecues.
The barbecues on this property were very
extensive about twenty thousand square feet,
all gently sloped away from their centres and
smooth as glass. They were of stone, coat
ed over with lime well polished, and so white,
that it was with difficulty could look at them
with the sun shining full upon their bright sur
faces. Ger these drying grounds the coffee,
when quite clean and white, is spread, at first
ihickIy. but gradually more thinly, until, on
the last day. it is placed only one bean thick.
Four days summing are usually required,
though occasionally many more are necessary
before the coffee can be heaped away in the
store without risk Of spelling. All that is re-
quired is to dry it sufficiently for transport to
Handy, and thence to Colombo where it un-
dergoes a final curing previous to having its
parchment skin removed. and the faulty and
broken berries picked out. Scarcely any es-
tates are enabled to effectually dry their crops
owing TO the long continuance of wet weather
on the hills.
The "dry foor' OF this store resembled
very much the inside Of malting-house. 1t
was nicely boarded, and nearly half full of
coffee, white and in various stages Of dryness.
Some Of 1t, at one end, was being measured
into two bushel bags, tied up, marked and
entered in the"packed" book, ready for dis |
patch TO Handy. Every thing was done on
system and the loose coffee was kept in
measuring. Bags, rakes, measures, twine,
had all their proper places allotted them
Each day work must be finished off-hand at
once no putting off until tomorrow can be
allowed, or confusion and loss will be the
Any heaps Of half dried coffee,
permitted to remain unturned in the store, or
not exposed on the barbecue, will heat,
and become disco!ored, and in that condition
is known among commercial men as "Coun-
try Damaged"
The constant ventilation of coffee store
is Of primary Importance in checking any
tendency to fermentation in the uncured
beans; an ingenious planter has recently
availed himself Of this fact, and invented an
apparatus which forces an unbroken current
of dry, warm air. through the piles Of damp
coffee, thus continuing the curing process in
the midst of the most rainy weather.
When considerable portion of the gather
ing is completed, the manager has to see to
his means Of transport before his store Is too
A we'll conducted plantation will
have lis own cattle to assist in conveying the
crop to Handy ; it will have roomy and dry
caite-pens, fields Of guinea-grass, and pas
ture grounds attached, as well as manure
pit, into which all refuse and the husks ofthe
coffee are thrown, to be aflerward termed to
account.
The carriage Of coffee into Handy is per-
formed by pack-bullocks, and sometimes by
the coolies, who carry it on their heads, but
these latter can seldom be employed away
from picking during the crop time. By either
means, however, transport forms a serious
item in the expenses Of good many estates
From some of the distant hill-esiates possess
ing no cattle, and with Indifferent Jungle
paths, The conveyance Of their crops to Handy
will often cost fully six shiIings the hundred
weight Of clean coffee, equal 10 about three
pence per mile. From Handy to Colombo,
by the common bullock-cart Of the country,
the cost will amount TO about two or three
shillings the clean hundred weight, in all,
eight or nine shilIings the hundred weight,
from the plantation to the port Of shipment,
being twice as much for converting il less
than hundred miles, as it costs for freight
to England, about sixteen thousand miles
One would imagine that It would not require
much sagacity 10 discern that, in such =