Management of Hops. 
5G0 
but when that quantity was not exceeded, or often a consideraI)ly 
less quantity was put on, and under the management of a skilful 
drier, very good samples were and still are produced from such 
kilns. But on the improved circular kiln, which is generally 
from 10 to 11 feet from the fire, varying a little with the area of 
the circle, the height of the cone being from 18 to 20 feet above 
the hair, with a cowl of 7 or 8 feet high and of 3 or 4 feet diameter 
at the bottom, a free circulation of air through the fires from the 
bottom of the kiln, which, becoming heated and rarefied, passes 
through the hops, driving the moisture up the cone and out of the 
cowl before it, a bushel of hops each time to a superficial foot of 
hair may be dried in the same time, and nearly at the same expense 
for fuel, as half a. bushel on those I have before described. 
All hop-planters agree as to the principle of passing a great 
quantity of heated air through the hops, to drive off the moisture 
without an excess of heat, and that the circular kilns, as before 
described, are the best adapted for that purpose ; but various are 
the opinions and as various are the different modes adopted for 
the admission of air; some contending that all the air should pass 
through the fireplace^ some that it should be let in at different 
places around the circle, to mix with and become of the same 
temperature as what passes through the fire before it goes 
through the hops ; others have only one fireplace underneath a 
hair of IG or 18 feet diameter, the cold air, coming in at the 
entrance or at other places, mixing with the rarefied air within. 
Some kilns are fitted up with cockles (that is, a large iron fur- 
nace), with flues around the inside of the circle close to the wall 
to heat the space within. The cockles (as the smoke does not 
pass through the hops, but is carried off by a chimney) admit of 
burning the common household coals, or wood, if required ; 
whereas, the others — which, by way of distinction, are called 
open fires — require either Welsh coals, coke, or charcoal — fuel 
which has no smoke, as the least smoke going to the hops would 
give them a smoky smell and injure them. The open fires are 
more generally used than the cockles, as they dry the hops quite 
as well, and nearly, or quite, at as little expense, and the 
original cost of erection is much less. Mr. Knight, iron- 
founder, of Maidstone, has within a few years invented a cockle 
upon a different principle, which is well spoken of, and does its 
work very well. All these different modes are found to answer, 
and dry good samples of hops; and as the main principle of all 
is the same (viz. passing as much heated air through the hops to 
dry them as may be necessary), it is perhaps a matter of 
fancy as well as judgment which is the best. Again : there are 
different plans of placing the fires in these circular kilns ; some, 
as I l)efore observed, having but one fire near the middle, open 
VOL. IX. 2 p 
