THE MANUFACTURE OP CHARCOAL. 



around this are placed small pieces of dry ash of a similar 

 size, and standing as close to the upright stake as possible, 

 around this being placed another layer in the same manner, 

 and so on, until a circle 4 ft. in diameter is obtained. 



A circle 1 ft. in diameter, and having the top of the stake 

 driven into the ground as a centre, is next made by placing 

 the wood horizontally on the upright pieces, and side by side, 

 repeating the same by laying other pieces on these in a 

 similar manner, until the pit is of the required height ; the 

 wood used here being dry pieces of ash, 24 inches long, but 

 split rather smaller than the ordinary size. This forms a 

 sort of chimney by means of which the pits are fired. Out 



SECTION OF CHARCOAL PIT. 



side, the wood is placed on end and reclining inwards, this 

 method being continued until the pits are of the required 

 size. 



When completed, the pits are covered with newly-cut turf, 

 the grassy side being placed innermost, beginning at the 

 base and working towards the top, each line of turf over- 

 lapping the previous one by a few inches, the circular hole 

 or chimney being left open for firing. The turfs are cut 

 about 1 ft. in width, and any length convenient, the quantity 

 required for two pits being about seven cartloads. Before 

 turfing the top half of each pit they are carefully examined, 

 and any crevices between the pieces of wood packed full of 



