PREPARATION AND MARKETING 65 



simple and effective method for the small producer will 

 be found to answer, by placing out of doors a wooden 

 tank about 7 ft. by 21 in. wide and 24 in. deep, made 

 from sound wood 2 in. thick. This should be fitted 

 with a sheet-iron plate underneath the bottom ; erected 

 on bricks and a flue fixed as previously described, 

 straight under the centre of the bottom but bridged 

 two-thirds along, and a cast-iron chimney supported 

 as circumstances will present themselves to the person, 

 according to the location in which he is going to place 

 it. Such a boiling-tank may be erected all complete at 

 the present time (1918), including an inexpensive cover, 

 under 30. It of course must be understood that if 

 tlj^is boiler is out of doors an indoor place must be 

 provided for the women to peel the material. A further 

 inexpensive method where the boiling facilities are of a 

 more extensive character, is to purchase half of an 

 ordinary steam boiler cut longitudinally, bricked in 

 and flued as in either of the cases mentioned under the 

 heading " Boiling," with soot-cleaning doors fixed on 

 each side, so that a constant clear draught can always be 

 assured. But buffing in the most satisfactory way can 

 only be done by fixing the boiler in a building which is 

 large enough for the peelers to stand on each side and 

 peel the rods directly from the hot water. To attempt 

 to peel rods when in a cold condition adds greatly to 

 the labour and splits the rods in consequence of the 

 peeling being performed with breaks. Further, it fails 

 to give that good buff colour which is so essential for 

 high-class productions. 



