Mi:. GtLABSFOBD'fl HitiOiy cm ■ on of ike Ejdp Manufacture. 259 



running round, to carry off the surface and roof water. In this shod the 



long stalks of tin- Lc mi naria digitate are to be stored. They can be 



easily ooUeoted from the mass of drift -wreck, carried up in suitable 



by BOMOfL to the slmd, ami there carefully placed in 



and tier-, OVOiOng :ind overlying each other, 80 as to permit 



access of the air from nil sides, these tiers may be raised to the 

 and, if carefully placed, would get quickly dry or winnowed, and 



ttome ready for burning. Fermentation could not possibly occur, 

 and loss from rains would be entirely prevented; and when dry enough 

 tor hurniiiLT, they could bo removed and converted into ashes, fresh room 

 being made, in this way, for further quantities of tangle as thrown up. 

 A lew men, with activity and care, could, in this manner, collect the 

 materials for many tons of kelp, and that of the most valuable kind ; 

 dming the winter months, the operations would be conducted at a very 

 small expense of manual labour, and that, during the most inclement 

 seasons. The apparatus required is trifling, compared with that neces- 

 sary for the prosecution " of the cut-weed kelp, and an expensive 

 armament of boats, ropes, oars, anchors, hooks, &c, &c, entirely dis- 

 pensed with. The ashes could either be fused into kelp, or sent off as 

 loose ash, the former method is the most preferable for transportation to 

 a distance. The latter condition would be the most suitable, if the 

 kelpcr designed to follow the sensible and practical advice of Mr. 

 Donald M'Cruumien, as recommended in his article on the kelp manufac- 

 ture in the " Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society 

 of Scotland," for October, 1847. The valuable constituents could thus be 

 easily extracted and concentrated, with little or no expense for other fuel, 

 as the burning of the dry weeds would supply the greater portion of the 

 heat required. The operations being conducted simultaneously, much 

 labour would thus be saved, and a much more valuable and remunerative 

 article produced. If to these advantages we add the consideration, that 

 the insoluble constituents of the kelp remain to them, and might be used 

 as au excellent manure, the total improvement capable of being effected 

 in this manmr deserves the attentive consideration of the Highland pro- 

 prietors. Although the usual description of kiln would answer for the 

 production of the kelp from tangles or other drift ware, I would suggest 

 the following modification: — Let it be constructed of fire brick laid 

 together without mortar, for ease in the construction, of 2 to 3 feet deep, 

 and 1 feet square, the walls being of 9 inch or brick-length in thickness, 

 and with the air spaces in the third or fourth course from the bottom. 

 In such a furnace the stalks would bo consumed with much gr> 

 rapidity, from the increased draught produced by the height of the walls, 

 and the heat issuing from the top might also, if not employed as has 

 been already suggested, be taken advantage of to dry the tangles, by 

 placing stout bars of iron across its mouth on which they could bo pi 

 The heat OOuld be easily regulated by the air-holes below. Su.li ■ kiln 

 would have the advantage of cheapness, of easy construction, [and of b 



