ioo Picking, Drying, and Packing Hops. [may, 



oasts these have been replaced by a single larger fireplace, 

 situated at one side of the oast. Provided the drying floor is 

 sufficiently high above the fire, the latter arrangement is 

 much superior; it entails less work, and the temperature can 

 be more easily regulated. With a single fire, the distance 

 between the fire and the hair must not be less than 12 ft., 

 otherwise the hops are liable to be burnt. This latter possi- 

 bility may be obviated by suspending a baffle-plate about 

 3 or 4 ft. above the top of the fire, or the fire may be carried 



Mr 



just outside the oast and archecl over with brick. 



The fire is regulated by means of a blower; this consists 

 of a large iron sheet suspended in front of the fireplace in 

 such a way that it can be easily raised or lowered. By 

 raising the blower, cold air is let into the oast above the fire 

 and the fire is checked. By lowering, more air is caused to 

 pass through the fire, which consequently burns more 

 brightly. 



The fires are further regulated by shutters round the bottom 

 of the oast, by which cold air may be admitted at will. 



Hot-Air or Stove Kilns. K — One type of hot-air kiln, called 

 the "cockle," has long been used in some parts of England. 

 It consists essentially of a closed brick stove placed in the 

 centre of the oast. The products of combustion do not pass 

 through the hops, but are led through a brick flue up one side 

 of the oast to within about 18 in. of the hair. At this point 

 the flue divides, and the two branches are led horizontally 

 round the walls of the oast, finally meeting on the opposite 

 side, where they are connected with a chimney, through 

 which the smoke and furnace gases pass outside the oast. 



Cold air enters at the bottom of the oast ; it is warmed by 

 contact with the stove and flues, and eventually the "pure"' 

 heated air passes through the hops on the "hair." 



In recent years several other types of hot-air kilns have 

 been introduced. In most of these the brick stove has been 

 replaced by an iron stove or furnace, and the products of 

 combustion are led through a maze of iron flues inside the 

 oast instead of the brick ones at the side of the oast. By 

 means of these iron flues, the heat from the furnace gases is 

 more completely transmitted to the drying air, and so an 

 economy is effected. 



