The Charcoal Burners 189 



split into many small pieces three or four feet 

 long, is stacked up about the central stake. More 

 wood is piled up in the same manner until the 

 ground is well covered. Then another layer of 

 sticks is placed over the first. On top of this a 

 third layer is built up, making the finished pile, 

 about twelve feet in height. Such piles frequently 

 contain as much as fifty cords of wood. 



This great stack of wood is then covered 

 with dry earth to the depth of two or three inches. 

 Over this earth the sods taken from the ground 

 are laid. In the whole pile only two open places 

 are left, one at the bottom, the other at the top. 

 The lower hole is filled with chips and a fire is 

 kindled. Smoke begins to pour from the top, 

 and the whole heap is soon ablaze. Flames fol- 

 low the smoke to the top of the pit. Then this 

 hole is covered with a heavy piece of sod. 



Sometimes, soon after the flames have been 

 checked in this way, explosions follow. Parts of 

 the dirt roof over the pile are blown off, but the 

 men quickly cover them up again with dry earth. 

 At last, when there is less smoke and no more 

 explosions, the hole near the ground is also 

 closed. After this, the pile needs but very little 



