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The production of wood charcoal in districts where there
is an abundance of wood dates back to a very remote period, and generally
consists of piling billets of wood on their ends so as to form a conical
pile, openings being left at the bottom to admit air, with a central shaft
to serve as a flue. The whole pile is covered with turf or moistened clay.
The firing is begun at the bottom of the flue, and gradually spreads outwards
and upwards.
The success of the operation depends upon the rate of the
combustion. Under average conditions, 100 parts of wood yield about 60
parts by volume, or 25 parts by weight, of charcoal; small scale production
on the spot often yields only about 50%, large scale was efficient to
about 90% even by the 17th century. The operation is so delicate that
it was generally left to professional charcoal burners.
Wood pile before covering it by turf or soil, and
firing it (around 1890)
These often worked
in solitary groups in the woods and had a rather bad social reputation,
especially travelling ones who often sold a sack (priced at about a day's
wage) with lots of rubbish mixed in to farmers and townfolk
Contributed by:Claire Thomas
Community Section
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