238 CABBAGES. [PART II. 



205. A very good way, is, to put your finger 

 into the top of the heap here and there ; and if 

 you find the fire very near, throw on more 

 earth. Not too much at a time ; for that 

 weighs too heavily on the fire, and keeps it 

 back ; and, at first, will put it partially out. 

 You keep on thus augmenting the kiln, till 

 you get to the top of the walls, and then you 

 may, if you like, raise the walls, and still go 

 on. No rain will affect the fire when once it 

 is become strong. 



206. The principle is to keep out air, 

 whether at the top or the sides, and this you 

 are sure to do, if you keep in the smoke. . I 

 burnt, this last summer, about thirty waggon 

 loads in one round kiln, and never saw the 

 smoke at all after the first four days. I put in 

 my finger to try whether the fire was near the 

 top ; and when I found it approaching, I put 

 on more earth. Never was a kiln more com 

 pletely burnt. ^ 



207. Now, this may be done on the skirt of 

 any w6od, where the matters are all at hand. 

 This mode is far preferable to the above-ground 

 burning in heaps. Because, in the first place, 

 there the materials must be turf, and dry turf; 

 and, in the next place, the smoke escapes there, 

 which is the finest part of burnt matter. Soot, 

 we know well, is more powerful than ashes ; 



