702 W(JOI)-CAKP>()iNlSATIOX. 



zoutally. Wliou the kiln is kindled from below, its whole top, 

 includin*j the tlue, is thus covered ; hut when the kindling 

 is effected from above, the Hue runs throu^^i the top of the 

 kiln. 



Although the burners endeavour in piling the billets to place 

 them as vertically as possible, as they are piled with their thick 

 ends downwards they become gradually inclined outwards, so 

 that eventually the outside of the kiln acquires a slope of 60° or 

 70°. This slope is necessary to support the covering of the 

 kiln, being greater or less according to the state of the weather ; 

 during summer, in dry weather, it cannot be so great as in damp 

 weather ; whenever the covering does not dry very rapidly, a 

 steeper slope is permissihle. 



The charging of the kiln is then completed by carefully stop- 

 ping all oi)euings and crevices with small split pieces of wood, 

 in order to prevent too great a draught and save the covering 

 from collapsing. 



V. Cocerintj tJic Kiln. 



The next step is to apply the covering, which should be as 

 air-tight and fire-proof as possible. Two coverings are applied, 

 termed the inner and outer coverings ; in order that they may 

 not collapse thoy are supported by pieces of wood, termed the 

 upper and lower supports. Every kiln requires at least the latter, 

 which are formed of stout, short, forked pieces of wood driven 

 into the ground all round the edge of the kiln ; they may be 

 replaced by a row of stones as big as one's head, on which split 

 billets are placed contiguously in a circle a few inches from the 

 ground for the covering to rest on and to admit air to the kiln. 

 In some districts iron pieces are used shaped like circular 

 segments with a support at one end of each piece ; these are 

 placed all round the kiln and are very durable. 



The upper supports form a similar circle higher up the kiln, 

 resting on vertical billets or forked pieces of wood ; they are 

 placed in position after the kiln is covered. In some districts a 

 third circle of supports is added, but this is not usual. 



The material used for the inner covering of the kiln consists 

 of sods, leaves, moss, spruce or silver-lir branches, ferns, rushes, 



