SCOTCH PINE AND SPRUCP: SEED. 701 



Steam from a boiler outside the seed-kiln is supplied in pipes 

 running under the trays, it then becomes condensed owing to 

 the comparative coolness of the chamber containing the trays. 

 The steam-pressure being then considerably increased, the heat 

 acquired in the boiler is radiated into the drying chamber by the 

 pipes. In order to increase the heating effect of the pipes, their 

 surface is considerably increased by conducting them repeatedly 

 up and down the drying-chamber, 



Keller's well-known wholesale seed-establishment at Darmstadt 

 was the first to carry out this invention of Oberforstrath Braun, 

 and has been working successfully for many years. The first of 

 these seed-kilns was burnt in 1865, and up to that time there 

 were three tiers of piping under all the trays. This, however, did 

 not heat the air sufficiently ; in the new works erected therefore, 

 two tiers of piping were placed under the trays, and the other tier 

 moved higher up between them. This gives excellent results. 

 The pipes are of wrought iron and are 200 meters long, with an 

 exposed surface of 87 square meters. The boiler is in a detached 

 house, and also serves to drive machinery used in separating 

 seed from larch-cones ; it supplies steam for heating the pipes 

 and the resulting condensed water flows back into the boiler. 



The advantages of steam drying over hot air drying are as 

 follows •• — 



There is no fear of a conflagration in the seed-kiln ; by means 

 of in and out draughts, heat can be supplied according to re- 

 quirements, and the amount necessary for opening the cones is 

 attained in one third the time required by the hot air apparatus, 

 whilst the whole time occupied by the process is shortened by 

 one quarter; the temperature cannot exceed 133' F., so that 

 there is no danger of over-heating the seed. Keller's process 

 gives from 87 to 97% of germinating seeds, which, according to 

 Braun are not only considerably superior in germinative power 

 to seeds from hot air kilns, but can also be kept longer. 



4. Management of Seed-husJdng Worhs. 

 The system followed in the different seed-husking estab- 

 lishments is of a simple nature. The cones from the store-house 

 are placed in sacks or otherwise brought to the seed-kiln and 



