FUELS AND THEIR UTILIZATION. 37 



same quantity of wood, but they can be placed in nests or groups at conve- 

 nient points, where wood can be assembled without much outlay, and from 

 which the charcoal can be delivered to the point of consumption conveniently. 

 Placed thus they also permit of more thorough attention and oversight. 



The form of kiln or kind of retort are subjects which must be considered 

 individually for each location, and it would seem that the most promising 

 method which an iron industry established in Texas should follow, at the 

 present time, would be one which did not sacrifice any timber which could 

 be saved without seriously increasing the material cost of charcoal. 



If a cord of wood costs seventy-five cents to cut, and the yield is thirty- 

 three bushels per cord, the outlay for wood per bushel of charcoal will 

 amount to about two and one-third cents. If, however, forty -two bushels 

 per cord were obtained, the cost of wood per bushel of charcoal will be only 

 one and three-fourths cents ; whereas if fifty bushels per cord are secured the 

 outlay would be but one and one-half cents per bushel. It will thus be seen 

 that there is economy in hauling wood to a common centre and producing 

 charcoal from it in such manner as to obtain as large a yield as possible. 



