CHAP. IV.] CABBAGES. 237 



204. So much for paring and burning. But, 

 what I recommend is, not to burn the land 

 which is to be cultivated, but other earth, for 

 the purpose of getting ashes to be brought on 

 the land. And this operation, I perform thus: 

 I make a circle, or an oblong square. 1 cut 

 sods and build a wall all round, three feet 

 thick and four feet high. I then light a fire in 

 the middle with straw, dry sticks, boughs, or 

 such like matter. I go on making this fire 

 larger and larger till it extends over the whole of 

 the bottom of the pit, or kiln. I put on roots 

 of trees or any rubbish wood, till there be a 

 good thickness of strong coals. J then put on 

 the driest of the clods that T have ploughed up 

 round about so as to cover all the fire over. 

 The earth thus put in will burn. You will see 

 the smoke coming out at little places here and 

 there. Put more clods wherever the smoke 

 appears. Keep on thus for a day or two. By 

 this time a great mass of fire will be in the 

 inside. And now you may dig out the clay, 

 or earth, any where round the kiln, and fling it 

 on without ceremony, always taking care to 

 keep in the smoke; for, if you suffer that to 

 continue coming out at any one place, a hole 

 will soon be made ; the main force of the fire 

 will draw to that hole ; a blaze, like that of a 

 volcano will come out, and the fire will be ex 

 tinguished. 



