EARTH-BURNING 



composed of the grossest part of the smoke. That which flies out 

 of the chimney is the best part of all. 



208. In case of a want of wood wherewith to begin the fire, the 

 fire may be lighted precisely as in the case of paring and burning. 

 If the kiln be large, the oblong square is the best figure. About 

 ten feet zvide, because then a man can fling the earth easily over 

 every part. The mode they pursue in England, where there is no 

 taood, is to make a sort of building in the kiln with turfs, and leave 

 air-holes at the corners of the walls, till the fire be well begun. 

 But this is tedious work ; and, in this country wholly unnecessary. 

 Care must, however, be taken, that the fire be well lighted. The 

 matter put in at first should be such as is of the lightest description; 

 so that a body of earth on fire may be obtained, before it be too 

 heavily loaded. 



209. The burning being completed, having got the quantity 

 you want, let the kiln remain. The fire will continue to work, 

 till all is ashes. If you want to use the ashes sooner, open the 

 kiln. They will be cold enough to remove in a week. 



210. Some persons have peat, or bog earth. This may be burnt 

 like common earth, in kilns, or dry, as in the paring and burning 

 method. Only, the peat should be cut out in the shape of bricks, 

 as much longer and bigger as you find convenient, and set up to 

 dry, in the same way that bricks are set up to dry previous to the 

 burning. This is the only fuel for houses in some parts of England. 

 I myself was nursed and brought up without ever seeing any other 

 sort of fire. The ashes used, in those times, to be sold for four 

 pence sterling a bushel, and were frequently carried, after the 

 purchase, to a distance of ten miles, or more : At this time, in 

 rny own neighbourhood, in Hampshire, peat is burnt in large 

 quantities for the ashes, which are sold, I believe, as high as 

 sixpence sterling a bushel, and carried to a distance even of twenty 

 miles in some cases. 



211. Nevertheless it is certain, that these ashes are not equally 

 potent upon every sort of soil. We do not use them much at 

 Botley, though upon the spot. They are carried away to the 

 higher and poorer lands, where they are sozvn by hand upon clover 

 and sain-foin. An excellent farmer, in this Island, assures me, 

 that he has tried, them in various ways, and never found them to 

 have effect. So say the farmers near Botley. But, there is no 

 harm in making a trial. It is done with a mere nothing of expence. 

 A yard square in a garden is quite sufficient for the experiment. 



212. With respect to earth-ashes, burnt in kilns, keeping in the 

 smoke, I have proved their great good effect ; but, still, I would 

 recommend trying them upon a small scale. However, let it be 

 borne in mind, that the proportion to the acre ought to be large. 

 Thirty good tons to an acre ; and why may it not be such, seeing 

 that the expence is so trifling ? 



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