1<S4 KIIASI HILLS. 



system, iodeed, is quite incompatible with the rude and imperfect kihis 

 here in use, and also with the kind of fuel now employed. There can be 

 no question, however, that the cooling down of the kiln on the removal of 

 each charge causes a very considerable ^^raste of heat, while the impossi- 

 bility of burning lime on the present plan, excepting during a few 

 months of the year, entails a great additional loss. The burnin", at 

 present, does not properly commence until the end of January, or until 

 February, and must be completed by April. 



Twelve hundred maunds of stone yield, on the average, one thousand 

 maunds of lime, and will require from 3500 to 4000 bundles of nal or 

 reeds for their combustion. The stone delivered at the kilns, on the 

 river bank, costs (1853) from li to 18 or sometimes 20 Rupees per 

 1000 maunds. 



I have no doubt that the manufacture of this lime would be improved, 

 and at the same time rendered more economical. 



Possible improvements. . 



by the adoption of the ordinary form of lime-kiln ; 

 from which the lime is drawn below, and the charge renewed from above, 

 while the burning is a continuous process. Consequent on this would be 

 the use of coal, as the sole, or, at least, as the greater portion of the fuel 

 employed. For such purposes, the small coal (of which a large propor- 

 tion is necessarily produced in hewing the coal of this district) would be 

 most effective, and could thus be economized. At present while the 

 cost of removing this small coal would be the same as for large coal (viz. 

 4 annas per maund to Pondua), I am disposed to think that no great 

 saving would result from its use. But any improvement in the facilitj' of 

 conveyance for the coal from Cherra Poonjee would inevitably tend to a 

 further economy in the manufacture of lime also. The highly blazing 

 character of the coal, and the consequent difficulty of keeping it burning 

 in close furnaces and in kilns, are, to a certain extent, objections to its 

 employment for such purposes : but this applies with less force to 

 the small coal ; and a very few trials would soon j)oint out 



