24 



MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



In the smaller salines the salt is harvested with picks and shovels and is hauled 

 to the piles in wheelbarrows. The larger and more modem plants use small dump 

 cars, run on movable rails and hauled by gasoline locomotives, for transporting 

 the salt to the washing machine. The removal or "lifting" of the salt with pick 

 and shovel is quite efficient in one respect: it is possible to remove practically 

 all of the salt from the beds without disturbing the bottom and thus contaminating 

 the salt with earth. However, an efficient, mechanical lifter, or harvester (Fig. 2—3), 



(Courtesy Leslie Salt Co.) 



Fig. 2-3. Harvesting solar sea salt. Huge harvesting machines gather the salt during 

 the brief harvesting period. As the tractor moves forward, a revolving cutter breaks up the 

 solid bed of salt, 3 to 6 inches thick, and loads it into cars. Each harvester has a capacity 

 of 125 tons per hour. The salt train moves on portable tracks which will be moved later 

 to another pond. The harvesting of over a half million ton crop takes about 12 weeks. 



(.Courtesy Leslie Salt Co.) 



Fig. 2-4. Crude solar sea salt by the train load is on its way to the large stock piles 

 shown in the picture. The train passes through the building shown above where each 

 car is automatically unloaded. 



