242 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



Tea Gazette, the purchasers were not satisfied with its 

 capabilities, and I doubt consequently if it is now manufac- 

 tured ; still I may be wrong. 



Allen's Tea Drying Apparatus. I have never seen this, and 

 have not heard much about it. Advantages claimed for it 

 are i. Quick drying. 2. Coke can be used as a drying 

 agent, 10 seers to one maund of Tea. 3. Only manual labour 

 required. 4. Not necessary to turn the Tea. 5. Perfect 

 control over temperature. I have three testimonials to its 

 merits before me, one from an engineer, and all three speak 

 highly of it. 



The following letter from the inventor to the Tea Gazette 

 gives further information : 



ALLEN'S PATENT DRYING MACHINE. 



Dear Sir, Some time back your valuable paper contained a 

 description and rough drawing of my Patent Drying Machine. I now 

 beg to say that the machine is in the market. 



I will simply state here that it can dry one maund of Tea per 

 hour, or about equivalent to four maunds of leaf. 



It cannot burn the Tea as in other machines, yet it thoroughly 

 dries it at one fill of the machine. 



It takes half a maund of Tea at each fill, and every leaf of this is 

 done in exactly the same time ; no turning over, changing of trays, or 

 further looking after the Tea, after the roll has been placed in the 

 machine on the trays. 



Temperature can be lowered from 300? to 100 in two or three 

 seconds, and run up again in five to seven minutes. 



It will burn any fuel. Fireplace 2^' x 3', when kept regularly 

 three quarters full of firewood or coal about 6 to 8 inches thick, while 

 machine is drying, will suffice (half a maund of fuel to a maund of Tea 

 should be ample). The appearance and fine flavour of Tea dried in 

 this machine by fan beats charcoal; no gloss is lost on the Tea from 

 shaking up and turning over, and the Tea is black, with glossy appear- 

 ance and good flavour. 



The following are valuation and reports on this machine's dried 

 Tea, by Messrs. William Moran and Co., to whom some of bulk or 

 rough Tea was sent. Yours, &c., J. C. ALLEN. 



