252 CULTIVATION AND MANUFACTURE OF TEA. 



per hour. In other words, in a working day of 12 hours (and I allow 

 no more, for I do not believe in night work) 12 and 24 maunds daily 

 are the capacities of the two sizes. Considering that the said two 

 sizes, with necessary stokehole, tables, &c., occupy respectively not 

 more than 200 and 260 square feet of space in a factory, the satis- 

 factory results, in both the above respects, are unquestionable. 



Tea made at night, both because the colour of it in its different 

 stages cannot be well seen (let the light be what it will), and also 

 because superintendence cannot then be so close, is never so good as 

 day-made Tea. This is why I do not believe in night work ; and it is 

 also a very important extra reason why machinery (which by its speed 

 enables all the necessary Tea to be made by daylight) will prove such 

 a great and lasting advantage. 



When Kinmond's Dryer was first constructed, it was proposed to 

 work it at 300 degrees. Later experience has proved 260 degrees is 

 better and sufficient ; but of course more time is thus taken, and with 

 the old sizes one and two maunds per hour could not be turned out at 

 the lower temperature. The machines are now made one -fifth larger 

 to obviate this. 



The fan is worked at 600 revolutions per minute, and this is found 

 to be the best speed. 



Several alterations, and important ones, have been made since the 

 first machines were constructed, but I will mention them shortly, for 

 they will only be understood by those who know the Dryer i. The 

 trays now take out alternately both sides. 2. The fine Tea or dhole 

 trays take out independently. 3. Outside bearings are supplied to the 

 fan shaft or spindle : thus the lubricating oil cannot now run down 

 into the fan casing. 4. The chimney is moved forward, and thus heats 

 a larger amount of air and reduces fuel. After the necessary tempe- 

 rature has once been obtained, one maund of wood will fire one 

 maund of Tea. This is an outside estimate. 



The great feature in Kinmond's Dryer is the fact that a separate 

 blast of hot air is forced through the Tea on each tray. In all other 

 Dryers I have heard of, the same hot air passes through each tray 

 successively, and moisture is consequently more or less carried 

 upwards through each. It is principally in this respect, and in the 

 large quantity of work it executes, that I consider the excellence of 

 Kinmond's Dryer to consist. 



