PREPARING AND HANDLING FERTILIZERS. 



159 



localities, the farmer can burn the lime he needs, and 

 thus obtain it at a much less cost than the market price. 

 It is not necessary to build a kiln of masonry. The 

 cheapest kiln is made by digging an excavation in a 

 bank, as shown in figure 190. If much lime is to be 

 burned, it will pay to line this excavation with brick, and 

 place an iron grating across near the bottom, beneath 

 which the fire is made. Whether the kiln is so made, or 

 constructed only in a temporary manner, it must be 

 banked up in front with earth, after the limestone is 

 placed in it. Where the iron grating is used, it should 



Fig. 190. A LIME KILN. 



project out in front as far as the bank of earth \*ill per- 

 mit, while under it is used a sheet iron door, to close the 

 furnace and regulate the draft. A platform is built just 

 above the projection of the grating, to support the earth 

 banked against the rock. The top of the heap is covered 

 with earth, leaving a hole in the center for a chimney. 

 When the kiln is only temporary, an arch of large rocks 

 takes the place of the iron grating, and the sides of the 

 kiln are lined, as the rocks are laid in, with large stones 

 instead of brick. It will take four or five days, with a 

 good fire, to burn the kiln sufficiently. 



Lime may also be burned by piling the stones in a 



