60 EXPLOITATION OF THE MARITIME PINE. 



" Well burned charcoal may be known by its hardness, and the 

 sound it emits when struck. If nothing is lost in the furnace, 42 

 kilogrammes of charcoal are yielded by 100 kilogrammes of wood, but 

 even in the most favourable cases this is never done. The most perfect 

 operation does not yield more than 25 per 100. By the usual 

 methods, only 15 or 20 per 100 are obtained. 



" In Sologne the usual cord of charcoal is of the following dimen- 

 sions : — 



Height, ... ... 30 inches, or 0*82 metres. 



Breadth, ... ... 30 „ or 0-82 „ 



Length, ... ... 16 feet, or 5-33 „ 



Cubic measurement of a cord of charcoal, 3 sUres, 58, or 3'58 cub. „ 



" According to the success of the operation, a cord of charcoal pro- 

 duces from 4 or 4^, to 5 bags, containing 230 litres each. 



The stere of dry pine weighs, 250 kilogrammes. 



The cord of the same, ... 895 „ 



The hectolitre of dry pine charcoal, 19 „ 



The bag, ... ... 43 „ 



** The yield of 4 bags per cord is equivalent to 18 per 100 metres 

 weight. The yield of 6 bags per cord is equivalent to that of 24 per 

 100. 



"Pine charcoal sells in the market at from 5 to 6 francs, oak 

 charcoal from 10 to 12 francs. To give the charcoal burner an 

 interest in the operation, his wages are regulated by the supply of 

 charcoal he gets — 45 cents per bag. Some proprietors who have 

 confidence in their workmen, in place of paying by the bag, give 

 them 2 francs for every cord of wood which is carbonised. Pine 

 charcoal is lighter and of less value than that of the oak ; the last 

 weighs a quarter more, about 25 kilogrammes per hectolitre. 



" The difi'erent kinds of charcoal are distinguished with difficulty. 

 Merchants often fraudulently mix them. 



" In Sologne, when pine charcoal is worth from 1*75 to 2"25 francs 

 per bag, that of the oak is worth from 3 to 4 francs. 



" Some years ago there was established at Sologne a manufactory 

 where the pine was carbonised in air-tight vases. The volatile 

 products were condensed, and produced by distillation tar and 

 pyroligneous acid. Besides these articles, which are usually lost, 

 the yield of charcoal was much greater. The death of the proprietor 

 put an end to this interesting manufacture. 



" There is in Sologne an encumbering kind of forest produce 

 which it is difficult to get rid of. I refer to the bourree, a so^^ o 



