Years ago, when I first mooted the idea that Tea could be fired without charcoal, it was scouted. It was said, “The fumes of charcoal had some chemical and necessary effect.” “The Chinese would not have used it from time immemorial had a substitute, and a cheaper one, been practicable.” Such were the objections. It is now no longer a question. A great part, perhaps the greater part, of the Indian produce is to-day worked with other fuel, and it is only a question of time when _all_ of it will be so. It is generally admitted that Tea prepared in Dryers is more valuable than that fired over charcoal; and begging the question that the fumes of charcoal are _not_ necessary (the old idea is very nearly exploded), it is reasonable that it should be so; for, if there is one thing certain in Tea manufacture, it is that speed is necessary. Charcoal drying took on an average 45 minutes; Tea is fired in the best Dryers in eight minutes. In respect of speed, Kinmond’s Dryer (which is the one I advocate) is certainly unequalled. When, as in large factories, 30 or 40 maunds of Tea have to be made daily, it is evident that, _cæteris paribus_, the machine which will do most in a given time and given space must be the best. In these respects also Kinmond’s Dryer stands well, for the small size (No. 1) will do one maund, and the larger size (No. 2) will turn out two maunds 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 satisfactory 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.