December i, 1884.J TCT1? TROPICAL AGTRTCTTLTURIST. 



4 8 9 



THE AMERICAN FRUIT EVAPORATOR AS 

 APPLIED TO THE PREPARATION OF TEA, 

 COFFEE, CACAO, ETC. 

 It is a good many years now, since, on receipt 

 of an illustrated description of the American Fruit 

 Evaporator, we pointed out through our columns the 

 great probability of its adaptation to the purposes of 

 a tea-drier. On several occasions, subsequently, we 

 gave very copious details of the principles, construction, 

 prices &c, of the machines. Those interested in tea, 

 coffee and cacao, can now judge for themselves, see- 

 ing that Messrs. W. H. Davies & Co., of Colombo, 

 as Agent,; far tic American Manufacturing Company, 

 are in possession of specimen machines. These machines, 

 we trust, will soon be shown at work, for which 

 purpose supplies of tea-leaves, cacao-beans and coffee- 

 berries can be brought to Colombo The practical 

 test is, of course, the only one which will satisfy 

 planters. We are strongly inclined, from all we have 

 read, to believe, that, as a tea-drier, the machine will 

 prove a success ; but we confess to being staggered 

 when told that it is equally adapted to withering 

 and "garbing" (sifting); that, in fact, while one 

 part of the machine is engaged in withering the leaves, 

 another with a heat of from 100° to 400° will be 

 finishing off leaves which have been rolled and fer- 

 mented ! A machine which could simultaneously 

 wither, sift and roast tea, would certainly be a valu- 

 able acquisition. Besides a pamphlet (copies of which 

 have been for some time in our possession), we have 

 now received an address by Mr. Victor Holling- 

 worth Special Agent for the American Manufacturing 

 Company, and formerly a tea-planter in Assam, ad- 

 dressed to tea. coffee, cacao, indigo, spice and cinchona 

 planters and agents, in which it is stated that 



While all sizes are available, for, and valuable as 

 dryers I request you to note that the larger machines, 

 Nos. 3, 4, 5, are more especially adapted for commercial 

 use in factories of size, these being metal-lined, fire- 

 proofed, and specially designed and equipped, a corre- 

 sponding price being quoted for them. These machines 

 will he fitted with wire cloth of any three sizes, when 

 ordered for particular work, or if so specified with a 

 proportionate number of each or any size thu-> rendering 

 thera available for a diversity, and succession of uses in 

 factories where more than one work is performed, a 

 feature which will commend itself to your notice, when 

 compared with other dryers specially designed for one 

 purpose, and whose utility is consequently prescribed. 

 No. "4" (i. p, four meshes to square inch) is available ; 

 for coffee, nutmegs, cardamoms and berries of approxim- I 

 ate size, while No. " 13," is adapted for tea, and broken 

 Bubstances of a similar nature, hut it must he noted, 

 that "tips." or small particles falling through the meshes, 

 are not lost, burned, scorched or damaged, as they merely 

 lie upon the floor of the "Trunk" till swept up. For | 

 substances of the consistency of indigo which lie close, ; 

 and h'dd much moisture, a close woven wire cloth can \ 

 be fitted, classed as No. " 0," and the trays are well 

 adapted with little alteration for evaporating all substances I 

 of this class by covering the wire with muslin, as is I 

 usually done, the philosophical arrangement of the hot 

 air currents, not being affected thereby, and thus every 

 tray is made available fur special use. 

 We do not understand what is nreant by No. 13, 

 for. in the table given by Mr. Holliugworth of 

 " American Pneumatic Evaporators," as adapted for 

 tea. coffee, cacao, dye-stuffs spices. &c , we find 

 (as in the Company's pamphlet), numbers only ex- 

 tending from to 5. The prices of the adapted 

 machines, we notice, are fixed a good percentage 

 higher than the original fruit evaporators. For in- 

 stance, No. 3 (for which, probably, No. 13 is a mis- 

 62 



print), stands at §175 or say R430 in the original 

 list, while here it is charged at $250, or say about 

 Rli20. Full details are given regarding the six sizes, 

 and we quote those attached to No. 3. The cash 

 price in America will be the equivalent of about, 

 K800, and to this will have to be added freight at 

 (ills per ton (we quote the figures given) of 1 800 

 lb. weight or 110 cubic feet, the number of piea 

 packed for shipment being 0, it being explained 

 that 



The packages above named as crated or boxed for 

 ocean freights are susceptible of division into two, three 

 or more packages of light weight for carriage over diffic- 

 ult roads. Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are shipped " knocked 

 down ;" to economize space in shipment are put together 

 easily by accompanying bolts, etc. They occupy from two 

 to five times as many cubic feet when erected. 

 All charges included, we suppose, No. 3 Evaporator 

 would compare pretty closely with an £85 sirocco 

 in cast (about R1.20II laid down in Colombo) so that 

 the work done by each could be fairly compared'. 

 The other details given regarding No. 3 arc th 

 FUiface drying capacity in square feet is equal to 

 300 ; number of trays 45 ; capacity for drying in 

 pounds 3,000 (which we take to mean that it can 

 accommodate 3.000 lb. to be dried at one time?); con- 

 sumption of coal 2U0 lb. As regards drying capac ty, 

 there is a note to this effect : — 



For purposes of calculation capacity for drying is based 

 upon actual performances as claimed in descriptive 

 Treatise. One bushel of apples— (sav) 61) lb. Allowance 

 must be made for excess of moisture as compared with 

 tea, coffee, cacao, spices, indigo, kc. 

 The great merit claimed for the evaporator is that 

 its trays are not superimposed, and therefore the hot 

 steam from the lower trays will not sodden and spoil 

 the tea on the upper trays. But our observation has 

 not led us to conclude that any special injurv is 

 inflicted on tea when dried on a series of trays one 

 above the other. The trays are constantly shifted! 

 until the lower one gets to the top. It ce:".a njy 

 seems, however, as if it must be a great improvement 

 that the passage of steam from the loner to the upper 

 trays should be avoided, but we repeat that the 

 proper proof of the value of the American machine 

 is a practical trial. Of such trial we ought soon to 

 learn, either as conducted here or at the J irehaut 

 Assam Company's Bead factory at '' Ciniiamara," where 

 Mr. Jackson's new drier was recently tried and where 

 n No. 3 evaporator has been placed. Meanwhile, Mr. 

 Hollingsworth, an experienced tea planter states : — 



Reverting to the value of the "American," as a tea 

 dryer, I would say that I have personally experimented 

 upon its capabilities for this special purpose with entire 

 success and satisfaction, having procured the leaf from 

 a plantation growing tea in South Carolina. 

 In the pamphlet allusion i« made to the 



Great uniformity of appliances and the monotonous 

 adheieuce to past theories in the construction of tea 

 driers. 



The fact is, as our r> aders are aware, that tea driers 

 have beep constructed or principles so opposite as 

 the tray system and Gibbs & Barry's inclined cylinder, 

 the latter somewhat resembling the tube through wli ch 

 the trays of I ho evaporator piss. From the pam i 

 we quote as follows : — 



Freedom from scorching, or discoloration of tips. 



Economy in cost, labor, fuel and heat. 



Its simplicity, durability and portability. 



Immunity from tire when used in "Cutcha" buildings. 



Its adaptability tor burning all kinds of fuel, viz: coal, 

 coke, chare-'al, bamboo wood, ekara. kagri, ooloo &c. 



Absence ot lengthy smoke-stacks and consequent safety 

 in cyclones, hurricanes, or earthquakes. 



That its use dispenses with brick-making, lime, masons, 

 carpenters and wood cutters' expenses, as also tie- need 

 of chulas or dholes, and nearly so, the demand for 

 salonies &c. 



