"Over the furnace is hung a baffle-plate, measuring 4 feet by 4 feet. Above this, on the first floor-level, the bottom of the compartments is covered with wire netting, to prevent any rubber dropping accidentally into the furnace chamber. The furnace chamber is fitted with an iron-frame door, swinging on perpendicular hinges. "_Method of Stoking._--The timber used is a mixture of jungle wood and rubber-tree wood, cut to lengths of about 1-1/2 feet. In the ordinary way the furnace is charged at 6 p.m., and at six-hour intervals a little more fuel is added, but a new charge is not necessary. During the daytime, when the heat of the sun is sufficient to raise the temperature appreciably, a smaller fire is maintained. "_Temperature._--There is no difficulty in maintaining a temperature of 120° F. By continuous smoking, average sheets prepared from standardised latex can be fully cured in five days. This represents 110 hours of smoke-curing, which is at least equal to ten days' intermittent smoking in an ordinary house. "_Capacity._--There are eight racks, each accommodating 450 lbs. of standardised sheet rubber. The loading capacity of the house, therefore, is 3,600 lbs. As each charge is cured in five days, the monthly output may be 21,000 lbs. "The cubic capacity is 2,048 cubic feet. As there are no gangways, etc., this is fully utilised. This gives a rate of monthly output capacity to over 10-1/4 lbs. dry rubber per cubic foot of drying space; an excellent figure much in advance of values obtained in the great majority of ordinary smoke-houses."[18] [18] Since the above was written, it has been found possible to eliminate the gauze. A mild steel top has been made, perforated with 2-inch holes. Practically no dust is ejected from the furnace, and there are no flames. Owing to shortage of supplies during the War, similar buildings have been erected with frames of well-seasoned hard wood, which was protected by strips of asbestos-slate or galvanised iron. The latter material was also substituted in the covering walls. Later, houses were erected of brick, with other minor modifications. As a natural development, the latest buildings consist of two of the original houses face to face, under a common roof, and served by common platforms. As originally designed, the house was intended to meet the needs of a small estate, or a division of an estate, having a maximum output of about 20,000 lbs. of sheet rubber per month. The possibility of an extension of this idea has been shown to be great.