diameter of about fifteen feet, and the earth 
beaten until the surface becomes dry and solid. 
_ A stake is next fixed in the middle of the area, 
and some brushwood laid on the surface as a 
foundation for the remainder. A stratum of 
truncheons is then laid on the brushwood, and 
the same alternatives are repeated, until the pile 
is completed to the height of about six feet in 
the form of a truncated cone or pyramid. As 
soon as this is done, the whole surface of the pile 
| is covered to the thickness of about two inches 
with dry earth, over which sods are very com- 
pactly laid, except at the base, where consider- 
| able spaces are left between them. The central 
| stake is now withdrawn, and the cavity is filled 
with chips, which are lighted at the top; the 
whole of the chips become inflamed, and, after a 
considerable quantity of smoke has been poured 
out, a light flame rushes from the chimney in the 
centre of the pile; the aperture of which is im- 
mediately closed by laying a piece of turf over it. 
During the next ten or twelve hours, consider- 
able attention is necessary to prevent any mis- 
chief resulting from the sudden disengagement, 
and consequent combustion of carburetted hy- 
drogen, which take place during that period of 
the manufacture. The explosion is announced 
by a rumbling noise, and seldom does any other 
injury than that of throwing off some portion of 
the covering, and through the opening thus 
formed flame and smoke issue., It is necessary 
to close up all such openings with a few spadefuls 
of dry earth. When the smoke decreases, and 
.the explosions have entirely ceased, the inter- 
stices between the sods at the lower part of the 
pile must be closed. At this stage little atten- 
tion is required, the combustion gradually ex- 
tends to the surface, and in about thirty or thirty- 
four hours after the process commenced the whole 
pile becomes a glowing mass. The wood is thor- 
oughly charred, the whole is covered with dry 
earth, and in four or five days it may be taken 
down. The particular stage at which it is proper 
to do so, is determined by making a small open- 
ing into the pile: if no flame appears, it is fit to 
be taken down; if it bursts forth, the aperture 
must be again closed, and allowed to remain so 
for another day. 
Great nicety is requisite in the preparation of 
charcoal for the manufacture of gunpowder and 
other delicate chemical processes. And the manu- 
facturers select the stems of the willow, alder, 
dogwood, and some others, which they prepare 
with peculiar care. In most of the large manu- 
factories, the charcoal is distilled from iron ves- 
sels; by which means it is obtained in a state of 
considerable purity, and the other products are 
saved. As all charcoal contains minute portions 
of earthy and metallic substances, lamp black is 
commonly used in nice chemical experiments. 
Lamp black is obtained by the turpentine manu- 
| facturers, from the combustion of the refuse of 
their operations in furnaces appropriated to that 
J 
CHARCOAL. 
In every soil. 
769 
purpose. The smoke deposits itself on the sack- 
ing which is hung up; it is swept off, and sold 
for common use, without further preparation. 
The lamp black in this state contains some oil, 
which is separated by being heated to redness in 
a close vessel. 
The chief consumption of charcoal is as fuel. 
It is also employed as a tooth powder, and to 
purify tainted meat. No mode of preparation for 
the first of these objects is at all necessary; and 
for the two last, it must merely be reduced toa 
fine powder. It forms a part of ail reducing 
fluxes. It isan indispensable constituent of gun- 
powder. It is the basis of most black paints and 
varnishes. It is used to polish brass and copper, 
and is an excellent clarifier. It is used, in far- 
rlery, in combination with linseed meal, as an 
antiseptic cataplasm for cracked heels and foul 
and fetid ulcers. 
Powdered charcoal must be heated to redness 
in a covered crucible, with an opening in the 
middle of the cover, and kept in that state till no 
flame issues out; it must be then withdrawn, al- 
lowed to cool, and then put into close vessels and 
kept for use. Whenever either wine, vinegar, or 
any other fluid is to be clarified, it is simply to 
be mixed with the liquor; a froth appears at the 
surface, and after infiltration it is pure and col- 
ourless. 
Charcoal has of late years become known as a 
valuable general manure, and as a powerful 
means of securing and accelerating the propaga- 
tion of tender garden plants by means of slips 
and cuttings. In an Italian cyclopeedia of agri- 
culture, the Biblioteca Agraria, edited by Pro- 
fessor Joseph Moretti and Carlo Chiolini, it is 
said: “From numerous experiments made by 
the Abbé G. Piccone, charcoal is considered as 
an efficacious manure. It consists principally 
of oxide of carbon, the primary element of vege- 
table productions, and is, therefore, undoubtedly 
calculated to be employed for the purpose speci- 
fied. According to the above author, every sort 
of charcoal, whether of oak, chestnut, or of any 
other sort of wood, the refuse of the charcoal, 
the small particles, or still better the dust, can 
be used as manure for every species of plant and 
The charcoal of close-grained 
wood, therefore, should be the richer in nutritious 
particles, as it contains less ashes and earth. 
The effect is more speedy and vigorous accord- 
ing to the fineness of the pulverization of the 
charcoal; if it is coarse the effect is weaker but 
more durable. When the charcoal is intended to 
manure a field for several years, or the roots of 
vines and fruit trees, it is not necessary to pul- 
verize it very fine. It is sufficient in such cases 
to triturate it so that the largest pieces may not 
exceed the size of a vetch. The means used for 
triturating the charcoal are, the olive- presses, 
mallets, and large pestles of iron or heavy wood, 
suspended from a beam of wood like that of tur- 
ners’ and many other machines. The dust which 
3 C ; 
a nn 
