224 Pub. Puget Sound Biol. Sta. Vol. 2, No. 47 



A convenient means of drying moss on a small scale suitable for most 

 of the smaller Chapters is a rack such as is used at the work rooms at the 

 University of Washington (plate 36). Each shelf is four inches deep 

 (10 cm.), the bottom covered with chicken wire which, in turn, is covered 

 with unbleached muslin. In removing the dried moss it has been found 

 most convenient to draw out the muslin with the moss on it, one person 

 holding each end and emptying all of it at once, thus avoiding much 

 handling. 



The most elaborate plan for drying sphagnum in the Northwestern 

 Division is that installed in Seattle and is illustrated in plates 37, 38 and 

 39. This was planned and constructed by Mr. Harding Gow, who is a 

 full-time volunteer at the Seattle Chapter. The drier is located on a 

 balcony six and a half feet (2m.) wide and about seventy feet (20.3 m.) 

 long, above the main workroom. The moss is placed in trays 30 s 32 inches 

 and 1% inches deep (76.2 x 81.3 x 3.13 cm.). The trays have galvanized 

 fly screen bottoms and are arranged in racks of which there are 22 in all, 

 each rack holding 18 trays, giving a total of 396. The racks (plate 38) 

 are placed at the outside edge of the balcony, leaving a space of 4 feet 

 (1.2 m.) between the trays and the wall. The balcony floor is 14 feet 

 (4.27 m.) below the ceiling. This space is divided into two stories by a 

 light floor, having nine tiers of trays on each floor. The air is heated by 

 two stacks of six tiers, Vento radiation, 9% x 60 inches (24.8 cm. x 18.3 m.) 

 enclosed in a sheet iron case. The air is forced through this case by a 

 double 11-inch (27.9 cm.) blower driven by a two horse-power motor. 

 It is delivered from the case by two outlets 12 x 24 inches (30.5 x 61 cm.) 

 in cross section, which are located at the end of the balcony near the back 

 wall and also as near the floors of the passages as the radiators will allow, 

 as experiments have shown that the heated air will travel farther along 

 the passage when the inlet is near the floor. The opposite end of the 

 passage is closed by a light door, so that all the heated air delivered into 

 the passage is forced through the trays. 



The blower (plate 37) runs at 860 revolutions per minute, delivering 

 between 5000 and 6000 cubic feet (424-510 cbm.) of air. The maximum 

 temperature of the air actually in contact with moss is about 90° F. The 

 trays when filled level full will dry in 24 hours. Each tray has a capacity 

 of 14 pound (227 g.)of dry Sphagnum palustre, or % pound (340 g.) of 

 dry Sphagnum imbricatum, the two species commonly used. If run at its 

 full capacity, therefore, this drier will insure 200 to 300 pounds (91 to 

 136 kg.) of dry moss per day, which should make a minimum of 2100 

 dressings 12x24 inches (30.5x61 cm.) or 6300 dressings 8x12 inches 

 (20.3 X 80.5 cm.). 



