1oc> CARBONIZATION OF TURF. 



Manufactory I was at Rouen, employed at the hospital under Mr. 

 nuf ClUirCd Robert, chief apothecary, a man for whose talents I have 

 the highest respect, on more accounts than one; and he was 

 repeating some experiments relative to these discoveries, 

 ♦hich when I saw, I conceived the idea, that the apparatus 

 might be employed for more carbonizing processes than 

 one; and I communicated to him my thoughts respecting 

 some questions, that had been put to me, on the possibility 

 of converting turf into a charcoal, capable of being sub- 

 stituted for that wood. 



It had been proposed to me, to form an establishment 

 capable of manufacturing a very large quantity at a time. 

 Mr. Robert approved my scheme; and, assisted by his ju- 

 dicious advice, I undertook a manufactory of turf charcoal 

 some miles from Gournay. 



I had already obtained some success, when circumstances 

 foreign to the business occasioned it to fall fo the ground, 

 and ruined an undertaking on which I had long rested all 

 my hopes. 



Though I here bring forward new methods, it -does not 

 follow, that the product of some manufactories, among 

 others those of Meaux near Paris, are not of good quality, 

 as the public begin to be sensible. 

 Turf first In order that the turf may present the greatest possible 



pressed. substance in a given bulk, I expose it to a regular con- 



tinued pressure; by which means it quickly loses all the 

 water it contains, its desiccation in the air is more speedy, 

 and thus we gain the advantage of a saving of time. 

 Mode of After this pressure, though the charring might be per- 



placui<; it to be formed without this preliminary operation, care is taken to 

 place the turfs so, that the masses they form shall present 

 demiobstructions to the air, to accelerate its currents. 



In this state it is subjected to carbonization by means of 

 an apparatus, which will be described below. 

 Products by Observation having proved, that vegetable substances 



distillation. afford advantages even in their distilled products, I con- 

 cluded, that the oily and condensable matters should be se- 

 parated from the gasses, which I intended to employ as a 

 supplementary support of the combustion. 



The »as«»s This observation is so much the more valuable, as these 



supply fuel. 



very 



