1830.] 



F A R ]\I E Pv S ' REGISTER. 



241 



four hours.* This kiln, together with an attached 

 ]ime-house of 40 feet by 20, wilh walls 14 feet 

 high, and a slated roof, only cost 60 guineas at the 

 time it was erected. It would now probably cost 

 considerably more; but still, when divided amongst 

 a number of even middling farmers, the benefit 

 which they might derive by its use would be con- 

 siderable; for they appear to pay dearly at present 

 for lime, and the sorry pot-kilns by which it is man- 

 ufactured are so badly managed, (hat the use of 

 it as a manure, though limestone is plentiful 

 throughout the country, is yet upon a compara- 

 tively limited scale. Added to this, it has been 

 broadly asserted, as a complaint that is not uncom- 

 mon in England, that the professed lime-burners 

 have their bushel measures made of basket, which, 

 as soon as they wear away at the rim, annually 



thickness of the parings, in the centre of which 

 begin to form a funnel, or flue, of furze, encircled 

 t>y peats, and around this lay about 6 or 8 inches 

 deep of limestone, broken in small pieces. Then 

 carry the flue up a couple of feet higher than the 

 limestone, adding afterwards another layer of flirze 

 and parings about one foot deep, and then lime- 

 stone, layer after layer of each, but still continuing 

 the flinnel; observing, however, that the circum- 

 ference of each layer is to be lessened, until the 

 whole assumes the form of a cone, or sugar-loaf J 

 with the flue for its apex, or point. When this is 

 done, brushwood, furze, heath, or any combustible 

 matter, must be piled around, with peats to keep 

 all together; and if the soil contain clay, clods may 

 be added. Then set fire to the furze at tlie top or 

 point of the ffue, and the whole heap will burn 



diminish in size; so that carriages that formerly i down to the bottom with such effect, that within 



were known to contain only a certain measure 

 now carrj' considerably more.f 



Although a kiln, such as that described, is com- 

 paratively cheap, yet there are many parts of the 

 kingdom where the consumption of lime 's not 

 sufficient to induce the erection of permanent 

 works by dealers, notwithstanding its use might 

 be very advantageous, especially in bringing waste 

 hind into a state of cultivation. Even where coal 

 is not found, yet, as such soils generally abound 

 with peat, lime may be economically burnt upon 

 the land wherever there is limestone within a 

 convenient distance; of which an account has been 

 lately published by Mr. Wallace, of Wigton, 

 from which we extract the following particulars. 



If peat be used, it should be first pared and dried. 

 The site on which this substitute for a regular kiln 

 is to be formed should be circular — say five or six 

 yards in diameter: the soil should be dug up from 

 off the subsoil; and then the operation of burning 

 is to be performed in the following manner: — !n 

 the bottom of the pit lay a large quantify of fiarze, 

 heath, or ling, upon which place about 2 feet in 



* It is said 'that limestone can be burnt to better pur- 

 pose, and at less expense, with peat, or turf, than with 

 coal. "When coai is used, the limestones are apt, from 

 excessive heat, to run into a solid lump, which never 

 happens with peat, as it keeps them in an open state 

 and admits the air freely. The process of burning, al- 

 so, goes on more slowly with coal. No lime can be 

 drawn for two or three days; whereas, with peat, it 

 may be drawn within twelve hours after the fire is put 

 to the kiln; and in every succeeding day, nearly dou- 

 ble the quantity of what could be produced by the use 

 of coal. The expense too, is comparatively trifling, as 

 a man and a boy will dig as many peats in one day as 

 will burn 180 bushels of lime; and the expense, includ- 

 ing drying, is not calculated at one-half that of the coal 

 necessary for burning the same quantity of lime.' — 

 Farm. Mag., vol.iii. p. 4S3. 



t Kent Report, 2nd edit. p. IGl. We also learn 

 from Mr. Rawson — as a hint which may prove useful 

 to extensive farmers who have occasion to prepare 

 large quantities of steamed food for cattle — that he has, 

 for several years, made use of a small kiln, constructed 

 adjoining to his kitchen. The kiln-fire communicates 

 with flues which heat all the necessary cooking appa- 

 ratus; and thus dinner has been frequently dressed for 

 fifty persons. A cowl over the chimney carries off the 

 steam and sulphur; and there is a stage over the kiln 

 for drying corn. Were the lime sold, it is calculated 

 that i't would more than pay for the whole charge of 

 fuel and attendance. 



Vol.. IV— 31 



twenty -four hours the limestone will be complete- 

 ly calcined. If clay be added, it will also become 

 sufficiently hardened to be easily reduced to pow- 

 der, in which state, as we shall hereafter see, it 

 may be converted to valuable manure; and the 

 ashes may also be used as a dressing.* This 

 method of burning lime has also the further advan- 

 tage, that these pits may be dug on every part of 

 the land where it may be wanted, as they may be 

 filled up with the sod previously taken out of ihem; 

 or if it be also an object to burn clay, the operation 

 can be performed at the same time, and a great 

 portion of the expense may thus be saved. 



The kilns employed for agricultural purposes in 

 this country, are generally placed against a high 

 bank for the greater convenience of charging. 

 Tliey are mostly built with brick, but are common- 

 ly so ill construc*ed that they allow a great portion 

 of the heat to be lost, consequently occasioning the 

 loss of a great quantity of fuel — which usually 

 consists of faggots and furze — and burning the 

 lime imperfectly. There is, however, an economi- 

 cal mode of burning lime in stone-pits — or pye- 

 kilns, as they are in some places called — detailed 

 in the Survey of Derbyshire. It is in use by some 

 farmers solely for their own land, but care is re- 

 quisite when the process is performed by unprac- 

 tised persons, as lime — particularly of the hot sorts 

 — if burnt with too violent a fire, is apt to melt and 

 run together, in which state it will not slake, and 

 becomes useless, or what is termed over-burnt, 

 and, in some places, dead-lime. ■\ The fuel there 

 used is coals; and it is calculated that about 25 

 tons will make 2400 bushels of good lime. 



Compost. 



Independently of the mixture of lime with the 

 soil in the manner already stated, great advantage 

 may also be gained by making a compost of lime 

 and earth, which has been found to possess more 

 Icrlilizimf properties than when it has been laid 

 naked upon the land; and a far less quantity is 

 found to answer the purpose. The great objec- 

 tion rsiaed by most farmers, is the heavy expense 

 of Jabor, and also cartage, which is, in many situa- 



* Quart. Journ. of Agric, vol. i. p. 187. 



I Derb_vshire Report, vol. ii. pp. 415, 440. See also 

 otlier modes of burnhig lime with peat, as detailed in 

 the Annals of Agriculture, vols. xxiv. p. 8, and xli.-p^ 

 318. 



