CORN DRYING APPARATUS.

Patea Mail, 28 February 1882, Page 3

CORN DRYING APPARATUS.

Any means that can be found to prevent the absolute loss, or even to reduce the amount of loss caused by bad weather coming just after British corn has been cut, must, in this variable climate, be a saving of many millions sterling to the nation. This will be admitted without the least hesitation by those who have had the longest experience of farming in Great Britain. Of the many appliances that have essayed to ment the difficulty, none have been more successful than the patent corn-drying apparatus manufactured by Mr James Coultas, the wellknown drill maker, of Grrantkam, aided by his son Mr J, J. P. Coultas. The system consists of a patent exhauster driven by steam power, the exhauster communicating with earthenware airtight pipes laid underneath the studdle of the rick previous to stacking. An air shaft or chimney is made inside the the stack at a distance of every 6 or 7 feet, but carried up only to the height of 6 feet. When the apparatus is brought into the presence of the wet grain and set to work, the exhauster begins to draw all the moisture and heat from the stack, at the same time causing the external air to be drawn inwards at all points to the shafts or chimneys. As the operation progresses, the exhauster becomes stronger and more permeating, until all moisture is drawn off and the grain left dry and sound.

A notable feature of the Conlta 8 system is that the machine can be so fixed as to dry several stacks at once, itself remaining stationary. The heat of the stacks can be reduced from 130 degrees to 90 in 40 minutes. Working on barley, also, very gratifying results have been obtained. In one case in which the barley began to heat after a wet gathering, the temperature was reduced from 106 degrees to 72 degrees in loss than half an hour.

By the Coultas drying system the effects of a wet ingathering may bo positively nullified, for a farmer may dry his grain in a few days, and demand his full price per cpiarter at once, instead ot having to wait while the grain stands drying profitless through the winter into the spring. The system is self-corn-

mending, and must obtain wide favour. That agriculturists who have invested have not repented their outlay may he inferred from the fact that in one. case, where two crops were concerned, both wet and unfit to cart, the exhauster was sot to work upon one, and the grain obtained from it fetched more money by 12s to 15s per quarter than the grain obtained from the second crop, cut at the same lime, and apparently of equal quality, but harvested- in the ordinary manner. Similar results wore obtained by Lord Brownlow’s steward, Mr James Hutchinson. —lmplement and Machinery Review.