288 



CHARCOAL MANUFACTURE. 



kept ready for the purpose, more sods thrown on, and covered 

 with earth. As soon as the dense smoke ceases, and the wood 

 hums with a light transparent smoke, the whole is closed in and 

 watched, lest any fissure should open. 



When hurning in pits, the system is the same, but vent-holes 

 are formed in the sides ; and the covering of sods, &c, being 

 more accessible, is more easily formed and kept. 



In pits, the wood is more conveniently packed, as shown above, 

 (fig. 16); and the logs in the middle of the lower course should 

 be dry, and have a few chips and refuse charcoal from former kilns 

 among them ; in other respects, the practice is the same as with 

 the piled kiln. 



In some places, it may be convenient to form a kiln by digging 

 out the side of a hill, as fig. 17 ; but in all cases the system is 

 the same. If the process is properly conducted, the bulk is'little 

 reduced. 



Fig. 17. 



In this tropical climate, where vegetation is so rapid, it is not 

 necessary to cut down trees for charcoal, but merely to lop off 

 lower branches. On dry forest land, a crop of wood sufficient for 

 charcoal can be obtained every fifth or sixth year ; and on alluvial 

 land, every third year. * 



H. Cleghorn, 

 Conservator of Forests, 



* These remarks were drawn up and circulated mainly for the benefit of 

 the Public Works Department, Madras. — H. C. 



