The fiber of the cocoanut husk, or coir, as it is commercially known,
has never yet been utilized in this Archipelago, excepting occasionally
for local consumption.
Second in value only to the copra, this product has been allowed to
go to waste. The rejected husks are thrown together in immense heaps,
which are finally burned and the ashes, exceedingly rich in potash
and phosphoric acid, are left to blow away.
As the commercial value of the fiber is greater than the manurial
value of the salts therein, it is economy to utilize the fiber and
purchase potash and phosphoric acid when needed to enrich the soil.
Highly improved and inexpensive power machinery for the complete and
easy extraction of the fibers of the husk, either wet or dry, is now
rapidly superseding the tedious hand process once in such general
use. Good patterns of machinery are shown in the "husk-crushing mill"
(fig. 1) and in the "fiber extractor" (fig. 2). The first breaks,
crushes, and flattens out the husks by means of powerful, fluted metal
rollers and, in the second the broken husks are fed over a revolving
drum set with teeth especially devised for tearing out the fiber from
the entire mass. Finally, it is fed into one of the many forms of
"willowing" machines, which reduces the mass to clean fiber, which
is now ready for grading, baling, and shipment. The residual dust
and waste from this operation may be used as an absorbent for liquid
manures, and ultimately returned to the plantation. The yield of fiber
varies from 12 to 25 quintals of coir and 4 to 7 quintals of brush
fiber per 10,000 average husks. In the Philippines the nuts yield
a large amount of fiber and a relatively small percentage of chaff
and dust. With improved machinery and careful handling, 18 quintals
of spinning coir and 5 quintals of bristle fiber from every 10,000
husks is a fair estimate of the product.
As the cost of manufacture is generally rated at one-half the selling
price, and as we must add a further charge of 20 per cent to cover
freight and commission, we have resulting from the sale of the 23
quintals, or 2,300 kilos, at £16 per English ton, a balance of £11
11s. per hectare.
But there are other considerations which should not be overlooked. The
husks of 10,000 cocoanuts will withdraw from the land 61.5 kilos of
potash and 3 kilos of phosphoric acid, and the restoration of the full
amount is called for to compensate for the growing wants of the tree,
in addition to that withdrawn by the crop. The necessary fertilizers
are worth, approximately, 5 1/2d. per kilo, making a further reduction
of £1 8s. and leaving as a net profit £10 3s., or, reduced to American
money, nearly $50, gold, per hectare.
The machines above referred to will cost $800, gold, and $1,200
additional will purchase and house the power necessary to operate
them. Such a plant will work up 1,000 nuts a day, and handle in a
year the output of a grove of 30 hectares. With the addition of two
or more fiber extractors the capacity of the plant may be doubled
without material expense, and it should rather more than pay its
entire cost in one year.