1837] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



141 



together in small heaps ol'lrom four to eitrhl bush- 

 els, at a rod distance, and burnt by placing tliiMii 

 u|)on a small quantiiy vf haulm, or straw; hut lliis 

 should be done very expediliously, on the fire be- 

 inu properly kindled; as otherwise it would be ex- 

 hausletl before a sutlicient quanlitj^ was heated; 

 for which reason it is proper to liirht them early in 

 the day, that they may be well covered belbre 

 sun set. This, however, difl(?rs from parinj; and 

 burninir, as it is not requisite that any weeds, or 

 roots of weeds should exist in the soil, for ihe real 

 earth alone burns or chars sulbciently; and as the 

 smaller the heap, the less is the earth calcined, it 

 is thought by some that the better is the manure. 

 The idea is, however, probably erroneous; for 

 these small heaps are so quickly burned, that 

 what is on fire at noon may be completed belbre 

 night; if despatch be an object, that may be at- 

 tained by employing a greater number of hands, 

 whereas large piles cannot be efiectually prepared 

 without more constant attention and delay; but, 

 like the process of kiln-burning, this operation also 

 requires some experience to carry on the work ex- 

 peditiously, and to burn close. It is done by con- 

 tract, and is slated, bj' JMr. Poppy, to cost, on ten- 

 der soils, from 12s. to 14s. per acre, and to require 

 half a load of haulm or straw. The expense, and 

 the quantity of ashes produced by the clods, differ 

 however, with the nature of the land. The more 

 rough or ienacious the soil, the larirer will be the 

 clods: those from one to three inches over will 

 produce from 25 to 35 chaldrons per acre; if larger, 

 and abundant, perhaps double that quantity* ;and 

 and land broken up after tares or seeds, will fre- 

 quently produce 100 chaldrons, or even more if" 

 required, but from forty to fifty is generally consi- 

 dered ample. It should, however, be remarked, 

 that a greater quantity may be collected, burnt, 

 and spread, at a lesg average cost than a smaller. 

 Although the method of burning in heaps has 

 the merit of simplicity, yet the plan is olijectionable, 

 because this method of managing the fire subjects 

 it, in many instances, to be either extinguished, or 

 to burn with such increased force as to convert any 

 portion of the earth which consist's of clay into 

 mere brick; besides occupying increased time and 

 labor, and occasioning an additional charge for 

 cartage. It does not produce such good ashes as 

 when the earth is calcined in a close kiln: neither 

 has the same quantity of fuel equal power; tor, by 

 the erection of walls, the heat is effectually retained, 

 and will continue for a long period after the fire 

 has been extinguished; whereas, in these round 

 heaps, the air having lull power over every part 

 of the surface, the internal heat is sooner checked, 

 and the smothering process — which is considered 

 essential to the value of the manure — cannot be 

 so perfectly accomplished. Besides, as the walls 

 are ultimately converted into ashes, their cost only 

 amounts to the trifling additional charge of the 

 labor of their erection. 



Burning with lime 



Is also a plan which has been adopted with 



* Four-prongpd forks are used to throw in large 

 clods; the smaller ones are raked together. The rakes 

 have handles eight fe^t long, the heads twenty-two 

 inches, and twelve teeth four inches long, heavy and 

 strong, having an iron collar at each end of the head, 

 to keep it from splitting; the shovels should be broad, 

 hollow, and light. 



much apparent advantage by Mr. Curwen, both 

 when a|)[)lied to the surface soil, and to cliiy taken 

 from the under stratum. The method is as fol- 

 lows : — 



'Mounds of seven yards in length by 3^ in 

 breadth, are kindled with seventy-two bushels of 

 lime; first, a layer of dry sods, or parings, on 

 which a quantity of lime is spread, mixing sods 

 with it — for he doubts whether clay can be pro- 

 perly converted into ashes without a mixture of 

 surface soil, as it is in that case either calcined, or 

 or not sulficiently burned. Then a covering of 

 eight inches thick of sods, on which the other 

 half of the lime is spread, and covered a foot 

 thick; the height of the mound being about a 

 yard.' 



'In twenty-four hours it will take fire. The 

 lime should he taken immediately fi'om the kiln; 

 but it IS better to allow it to ignite itself, than to 

 effect it by the operation of slaking by water. — 

 When the fire is fairly kindled, fresh sods should 

 be applied; and it is recommended to obtain a sufli- 

 cient body of ashes fi'om the sods belbre any clay 

 is put upon the mounds. The fire naturally rises 

 to the top; it takes less time, and does more work 

 to draw down the ashes from the top, and not to 

 suffer it to rise above six feet.' 



Mr. Curwen also says, 'that the former j'ractice 

 of burning in kilns was more expensive, did much 

 less work, and in many instances calcined the 

 ashes, and rendered them of no value*.' On 

 which it mav be observed, that, with regard tO' 

 the expense, the difference in labor in fiivor of the 

 practice of burning with lime cannot be very ma- 

 terial, for it only consists in the charge of" raising 

 the walls, with a little more attention to the fire, 

 and wdl not amount to so much as the cost of the 

 lime. As to the amount of work performed, he 

 furnishes no data upon which an estimate can be 

 founded; but, with respect to the management, 

 there can be no little doubt that the operation with 

 lime is the most simple. It may therefbie be attend- 

 ed with considerable advantage in those districts 

 where lime can be procured at a moderate price, 

 as it must be supposed that the lime adds its full 

 worth to the value of the ashes.' 



Application. 



The chief" part to be observed in the application 

 of these ashes is — that they be thoroughly pulver- 

 ized, or at least brought into a state as nearly re- 

 sembling powder as may be found practicable; and 

 this cannot be effected unless the heat be so con- 

 fined as to prevent it from spreading to a flame, 

 for in that case the clay will be assuredly burned 

 to bricks, and to this mistake many failures in ex- 

 periments have been attributed. The term 'asAes' 

 may, indeed, in this sense, be deemed somewhat 

 misapplied; but we know not any other that will 

 more clearly convey our meaning, though our 

 readers will doubtless comprehend that the process 

 is to stop short of that state of hardness which 

 is produced by the brick-kiln. In effiecting this, 

 care should be taken not to burn clay that has 

 been much sun-dried, for if put on the kiln in that 

 state, it will produce lumps which will not be easily 

 broken; even by a mallet. 



The best time Jar beginning the operation is 



Farmer's Magazine, vol. xvi. p. 411. 



