Mk. GuuNBPOKD*! History ami Ik $erip&m of the Kelp Manufacture. 261 



by mere tatpeetiea it cannot be distinguished from the yellow wreck kelp, 

 is yet superior in sunn: respects, and should command a higher price. 



Process of drying and bmrnimg the Sea Weeds. — Tho drying and burn- 

 ing processes for both these kinds of sea wreck are, as I have said, 

 identical, ami I will briefly deserihe tin: operation. The plants are spread 

 lie sun, as (bin on the ground as their quantity and the 

 extent of surface will admit. This is usually done early in the morn- 

 ing, and as they get warmed by the sun, they are turned over and over 

 until mite dry. Two days of strong unclouded sunshine will dry the 

 weeds sufficiently for burning. They must not be too much dried, else 

 they bum too easily in the kiln, and by flaming carry off a portion of the 

 salts. The proper degree of drying requires skill and experience. To 

 prevent them from getting wet during the night by the heavy dews which 

 fall at this season, they are collected together into quoils or little heaps, 

 and again spread out in the morning. When sufficiently dried they are 

 collected into large heaps, and carried by the horse and car, or by the 

 handbarrow, to the point where the kiln is to be erected, and there burned. 

 When the weather is favourable, the whole of the wreck which has been 

 cut during the six or eight days of spring tides, is dried in two days in this 

 way, and is ready for burning. The building of the kilns is the next 

 operation, and is a very simple one. A convenient and level spot on the 

 green sward (if possible) is selected and measured out. The kiln may be 

 any size in length and breadth, but the size preferred is from 14 to 16 

 feet long, and 2 feet to 2 feet 3 inches broad. This parallelogramic patch 

 of earth is then surrounded with a wall of stones — collected in any way 

 and from any where, the shores usually supplying abundance of materials 

 — as perpendicular as possible on the inside, but sloping on the outside so 

 as to givo it strength. These walls may be 8 to 10 inches high. The 

 stones require to be carefully placed on each other, not ready to roll out 

 of their places, and not too large. It will be readily supposed that there 

 will be plenty of air spaces between the stones to supply the burning weeds 

 ' with air; this is quite necessary, and their proper adjustment requires 

 some nicety and understanding in the architect. 



It is essential that the ground on winch the kilns are built be level, 

 and also of great importance that the side of the kiln be presented to the 

 wind, i.e., at right angles to its direction, otherwise the burning proceeds 

 with tardiness, and the smoko may be the source of annoyance to the 

 burner. When the wreck is dry the burning commences, and the atten- 

 tion of the whole company is directed towards it. Two men are required 

 fof every kiln, one of whom constantly superintends the burning, the other 

 brings the wreck from the scattered clumps which are lying about, and 

 performs any other little duty which may bo required ; the attention of 

 both men, however, is pretty exclusively taken up with the proper 

 management of their kiln. The burning commences at four or five o'clock 

 in the morning, and may terminate with day light. In this way from 14 

 to 16 hours of unremitting attention is required from each man. The 



