244 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



detriment to the machine. Let purchasers ask any engineer, or even 

 blacksmith, how quickly iron bums away, and he can tell them. 



Up to date no doubt the " Sirocco " has seen its run : over 200 

 are advertised as in use, but it is now beaten by two machines which 

 have come out lately, and which beat the " Sirocco " entirely as to 

 quantity dried and simplicity of working, and for durability should 

 last any time by careful looking after. One is Robertson's, which is 

 firebrick, and the other Allen's ; both these machines for durability 

 cannot be surpassed : the difference in results between the two is, that 

 one dries every tray of Tea in the same time without turning over, and 

 the other requires to have the Tea turned over and the trays changed, 

 &c., as in the " Sirocco." 



The " Sirocco," no doubt, was a good Tea-drying machine in its 

 time, and the inventor deserves the greatest credit for it, but it has 

 been improved upon, as is always inevitably the case in machinery. 



I trust no offence will be taken by the " Sirocco " inventor, as such 

 is not intended. Any answer of his will be gladly read. 



Cachar. Yours faithfully, PUCKA TEA. 



There may have been an answer, but I did not see it. 



Gibbs and Barry's Tea Dryer. This machine has been 

 lately invented. I saw it when not as complete as it is 

 now. I have tried to get details, but failed. It must have 

 merit, however, for though a late machine, some thirty-six 

 are now in operation ; I heard one good judge speak very 

 well of it. More are, I hear, being despatched to India. 

 No trays are used with this Dryer. 



Shand's Dryer. This hails from Ceylon. Steam for 

 drying Tea is not quite a new idea. I saw an apparatus to 

 use steam in Cachar years ago. The great advantage 

 claimed for this Dryer is that Tea cannot be burnt. It is 

 quite a new invention. This, from the Tea Gazette, describes 

 it : 



A NEW TEA DRYER. 



A gentleman in Colombo, Ceylon, a Mr. C. Shand, as we 

 mentioned in our last, has invented a new patent Tea Dryer. The 

 following is a description of his invention : 



