62 
On the Manufacture of the Sylhet Lime. [Feb. 
Kiln to contain 500 maunds of stone. 
References to the plan. 
e. The large stones, as brought down from the hills, which weigh from \ to If 
maunds each, the largest being placed next to the fire place, and gradually decreas- 
ing in size towards the outside. 
f. The small stones, broken on the spot to about the size of a man’s fist or more, 
and weighing from 1 to and 2 seers each : the smallest of these are in same man* 
ner reserved for the outer course. 
g . The null or reeds placed on end round the kiln to the thickness of 1| or 2 
inches, to protect the outer course of stones from the coating of tempered clay or 
mud h, which covers the whole. The reeds are of course soon consumed, but not 
before the clay becomes nearly half burnt, and this forms a crust which remains 
uninjured to the last, suspended as it were at the distance of about 1| inch from the 
stones all round, by which the ventilation through the draft holes i. k. is greatly 
increased. 
h. Outer coating of mud or clay well tempered and worked up with grass, which 
must also be carefully attended to in constructing the artificial part of the kiln 
marked l. The outer coating h. is carried up gradually all round, to the thickness 
of 4 or 5 inches, and as it dries, every crack that appears must be carefully closed 
by repeated applications of mud plaister in nearly a liquid state. Before it becomes 
quite dry, the air or draft holes i. are formed 4 inches wide, the same in height, and 
from 3 to 3^ feet apart. Those marked k. are pierced with a stick 2 inches in di- 
ameter, at the distance of from 12 to 15 inches one from the other, as shewn in the 
side elevation and section, and serve also to pass off the smoke. 
Fuel, whether wood or reeds, must he used in a perfectly dry state : the former 
is rafted down on bamboos from the hills, in logs of from 2 to 3 and 4 feet long, and 
from 6 to 12 and 15 inches in diameter, which are subsequently split into two or 
three pieces each ; the proportion allowed to a kiln is about 1 6 or 17 per cent- more 
than the weight of the stone to be burnt ; thus from 800 to 820 maunds of wood are 
required for a kiln loaded with 700 maunds of stone. Much, however, depends on the 
season ; and if the weather be dry and favorable, equal weights of wood and stone are 
found to be sufficient ; in addition to which, there must be 2 or 300 bundles of reeds, 
