Ch. XIV.] KILN-DRYING. 205 



ciossinn; the ends of tlie box. The shaft is armed with two rows of blunt iron beaters, 

 seven in each row, all lyinf>; in one plane; the beaters on the one side being placed 

 alternately with those of the other. When the huinmeller is in the working position, 

 the openmg 1), in the smaller end, is biought under the corn-spoiit of the thrashuig-mill 

 fanners, supported on the foot E, to bring the axis to a horizontal line. The vertical 

 lines, bounding the space F, represent a transverse section of the fanners, and an addi- 

 tion to the main shaft coupled to it as at ]J, and extending to C. The pulley G, giving 

 motion to the beaters, is driven by a strap from the fan-shafr, producing a velocity of 

 about 400 revolutions in a minute. The grain received from the spont of the fanners, 

 is thus violently agitated as it passes through the revolving beaters, and the lower side of 

 the box having a considerable inclination, the grain is impelled during the process 

 towards the lower orifice, through which it is finally discharged. The size of the opening 

 being regulated by means of the slide H mjig, 1, which also serves to retain the barley 

 within the box until divested of its awn, whde it prevents it from being scattered about 

 by the force of the operation. 



Other modes are, however, used which are still more simple ; as, for in- 

 stance, — alter the barley is thrashed, the cover of the drum is taken off, 

 and another cover is put on, lined with tin, having small holes, about 

 three-sixteenth parts of an inch wide, perforated in the manner of a grater. 

 The grain is laid on the floor near the thrashing table, and a bushel or two 

 at a time is laid close to the rollers ; an experienced man being employed 

 to direct the barley between them. The thrashing machine is then set to 

 work, and with the assistance of a couple of young people to lift the corn 

 on the rollers, the whole quantity may be passed through in ten or fifteen 

 minutes. Or, — 



A bit of notched stick, lined on one side with a tliin plate of iron, and 

 just the length of the rollers, is fixed by a screw bolt at each end to the 

 inside of the cover of the drum, about the middle of it, so as to be about 

 one-eighth of an inch from the arms of the drum as it goes round. Two 

 miiuites are sufficient to put it on when its operation is wanted, which is 

 when putting through the barley a second time, and it rubs off tlie awns 

 completely *. 



When the thrashing mill or other macliines are not in use, the method 

 commonly employed is to lay the barley upon the barn floor, and to free 

 it from the awns by repeated strokes of a square instrument, consisting of 

 a set of parallel iron plates, or small bars fixed in a frame, either in the 

 manner of a gridiron, or divided like the chequers of a draught-board, and 

 fixed to a stout handle, by which it is worked in the same mode as a 

 jiavier's rammer. 



KILN-DRYING. 



Corn is frequently harvested in a damp state, and either sprouts in the 

 sheaf, or, if not immediately thrashed out and kiln-dried, becomes mouldy 

 and unfit for use. The straw is also rendered unfit for any other purpose 

 than litter, and in bad seasons serious damage is sustained by the farmer. 

 The mode of preserving thrashed corn by the process of kiln-drying is well 

 known to be effected by laying the grain to the depth of three or four inches 

 upon a raised and tiled floor, heated by coke, wood-embers, or peat, and 

 allowed to remain there, with frequent turnings, for about four-and-twenty 

 hours, more or less, according to the state of dampness in which it may be 

 found. Great precaution is however requisite in heating the kiln to such a 

 degree as will efi'ectually secure the drying of the corn, as well as the 

 destruction of the weevil, which, if the grain be infected with those insects, 

 will appear in great numbers; and care must also be used in stirring the 

 grain so regularly as to prevent it from being scorched. 



* Farmer's Mag., Nos. 42 and 6 



