222 Salt Springs of Moutiers.. 
air, and supported firmly in their position by transverse ‘piel of 
wood. In the middle of each Maisen @’Epines i is a stone building, 
containing the hydraulic machine for pumping the water to the top 
of the building; it is moved by a water-wheel. When the water is 
raised to the top, it is received in channels on each side, which ex- 
tend the whole length of the building ; from these long channels i it is 
made to pass into smaller ones by the side, from which it “trickles 
through a multitude of small holes, like a very gentle shower, upon 
the faggots, where it is divided into an infinite number of drops, fall- 
ing from one point to another. Being thus exposed to the contact 
of the air, it gains one degree of strength in falling, and, by the ac- 
tion of the pumps, it is raised again, and falls in other showers, till it 
has acquired the strength required for passing to the evaporating 
house, No, ‘3 
The process is conducted with less nicety in Nos. 1. and 2. than 
in the others, and, as I mentioned before, the houses are not covered. 
The pumps moved by the machine in the centre of the building, are 
‘distri puted at equal distances on each side of the Maison d’Epines. 
_ The water is not always let to trickle down on both sides of the thorns, 
but only on that exposed to the wind. The two buildings, Nos. }. 
and 2., are placed at different angles, to catch the different currents 
of wind that rush down the valley. No. 3. is constructed on the 
same principles as Nos. 1. and 2. ;- it receives the water from them 
both; it is three hundred and seventy yards long, and is covered 0 
preserve the salt water from the rain. There are twelve pumps 
each side in this building, and more care is taken to distribute the 
water equally ; here it is concentrated to the strength of twelve per 
cent., and deposits most of its romain’ — of lime, in inerus- 
tations on the twigs. 
‘The water being now reduced to about one aie of the or 
quantity, and raised to the strength of twelve degrees, sd ase 
along channels to the Maison d’Epines, N.4. This is only sevenly 
yards in length : here it is further concentrated by a similar process, 
till it nearly reaches the point of saturation, but this depends 0” the 
season. In dry weather, it is raised to twenty-two degrees; 
a 
iginal 
d 
rainy, moist weather, to eighteen degrees only. In summer-time the 
whole process of evaporation, in passing through the different pnt 
oO 
is about one month; in wet seasons it is longer. ‘The stre 
water that sets in motion the hydraulic machines for raising the sick ry 
‘Jine water to the top of the buildings, is brought by a small a 
2 “ 
