'The water used to wash and prepare the Fibre (by holding it up to the beaters), is 
applied from directly under ihe feed plate, and is projected against the wheel at a certain 
angle and pressure, which last.is regulated by a tap. A pipe, three quarters of an inch in, 
diameter, supplies as much water as is required for each Machine, .and this can be 
supplied from a tank or stream at an elevation of not less than 70 feet, or by means of 
a small but very effective Pump on the rotary principle, and which answers for one or two 
Machines at a time, and from the simplicity of its construction is, not liable to get out 
of order. 
The amount of water required for each Machine amounts on an average to 400 
gallons per hour, but it may, under proper arrangements, be used four or five times during 
the same clay. The approximate quantity of water required per day for each Machine, 
thus need not exceed 1,000 gallons, 'but it. is not advisable to keep it for any length of time 
on account of its liability to decompose, and to this end the tank containing it should be 
systematically emptied. When it is found necessary to economise the water, some ready 
plan of filtering it before it is allowed to enter the tank which supplies the Machine should 
be adopted; and it should, in the first place, pass through a strainer to stop the broken uj> 
stalks and other particles from passing through, and these should be collected for manure, 
whilst at the same time any waste Fibre from the Machine should be carefully separated 
and preserved. 
Fig. 2. 
General view of new Patent Bullock Gear, adapted for working 1 tbe Fibre Machine with three or more bullocks, 
according to their size, and showing arrangement for tank in eases where water is scarce. : 
The illustration above show's an arrangement for a filter tank for the above-purpose. 
In it the division between two tanks side by side is arranged to act us a filter, but iu other 
cases it will be more convenient as well as effective to have the filter tank placed at a 
higher level than the one for the supply of the Machine, into which the water from the 
former is allowed to run. % 
In addition to preserving for manure the broken up stalks .and other refuse from the 
Kheea and other similar plants, the water used for preparing the Fibre of these should, 
whenever possible, be employed for irrigation as well, oil account of the fertilising 
* For particulars of Bullock Gear, see p. 16 . 
