850 JAMAICA. 



Thefe kilns, like reverberating furnaces, confine the heat, and keep 

 it up to fuch a violent glow, that one half lefs fuel is neceflary 

 than in the conical or French kiln before-mentioned, made in open 

 air, with circular layers of wood and ftone, piled one upon another. 

 This form, and their having no inclofure, expofe them to a con- 

 tinual dlffipation of heat ; • infomuch, that the ftones, which are 

 ranged near the exterior parts of their circle, are never thoroughly 

 burnt, and often fcarcely at all affeded ; they confume a prodigious 

 quantity of wood ; and confequently, fo large a portion of dilcordant 

 vepetable falts is intermixed with the lime, as to render it weak, 

 and lefs fit for the purpofe intended in the boiling-houfc, where the 

 moft cauftic lime that can be procured is found to anfwer beft. The 

 conic kilns are well enough contrived, where a large quantity of lime 

 is wanted for carrying on a building ; as they are fet up on different 

 fpots, where fuel and flone are mofl: abundant. But every capital 

 plantation ought to have a ftanding-kiln, appropriated folely for mak- 

 ing- temper-lime, and no other ; what is required for carrying on ftruc- 

 tures, or making repairs, it would be more advifeable to buy, than to 

 exhaufi: the materials adjacent to the kiln for thefe purpofes. Or, en-- 

 couragcment might be given to inferior fettlers to build flanding- 

 kilns, and prepare lime for temper, in a Ikilful and careful manner, fo 

 as to become a fort of fixed marketable commodity, and article of re- 

 gular traffic, for fupplying the fugar efiates; for, if it fliould be fo 

 conftituted, and fold to them at a certain reafonable price, it would 

 be found to indemnify thefe fettlers for their pains bellowed upon it ; 

 and caufe a very great improvement in the quality of our Jamaica fu- 

 gar. Lime-fl:one, in common with all other calcarlous fubrtances, 

 contains a large portion oi fixed air ; the prefence of it makes them 

 what is called mild, and the deprivation of it, by means of fire, renders 

 them caufiic\a'\ . This explains the change of mild, calcarlous earths into 

 quick lime, which is efftfted by expelling the fixed air that naturalized 

 them. It is found by experiment, that foft water is a much more pow- 

 erful diflblvent of quick lime, than hard water, at the fame time that 

 it covers and meliorates the hnrfhnefs of its tafte. 



What is made witii diflilled water is by far the moft pungent, and 

 yet the leaft difagreeable ; whereas, what is prepared with raw, pump- 

 vyater, is extreniely harfia and naufeous, without being proportlonnbly 



[«] I'lielHy. 



' 1, i.npreg-. 



