A Bushel of Charcoal, II (by Weight.) [Volume: 1, Issue: 2, August, 1880, pp. 12-17]

12

The fuel is obtained from the country adjacent, and is made from
oak, chestnut, and pine, the latter predominating. Oyster shells
are used for flux, principally hauled one mile by teams, but some
are brought to the furnace by railroad.
Tests of the pig iron have been made and 10 samples of No. 4
pig averaged over 41,000 pounds tensile strength per square
inch. The iron is used to make cannon for the Government,
the celebrated 40 ton gun, tested a year or so ago at Sandy
Hook, having been made largely of it.
We shall be pleased to publish similar descriptions of other
furnaces or forges, if our friends will send the details. An illustration of the works always adds interest, as it not only shows
the disposition of the various parts of the plant, but gives an
idea of the location and surroundings.
The notes for this sketch were made during the very pleasant
meeting of the executive committee of the association at Muirkirk, when we did our best to increase the stock of flux for the
furnace.
A Bushel of Charcoal, II, (by Weight.)
Although most of our charcoal iron works use the bushel of
a specified number of cubic inches capacity, the variations in
standard of which were given in No. 1 Journal, pages 27 to 31,
a fair proportion employ a standard of weight in fixing the bushel,
and the transportation of charcoal by railroads, which is yearly
growing in favor, has undoubtedly done much to increase the
number of iron works who use the weight standard.
There is as much uncertainty about what a bushel of charcoal
is in pounds, as in cubic inches; we have records extending all
the way from 11 pounds to 2240 pounds. Undoubtedly, the established avoirdupois of a bushel of charcoal, originally came from
the actual weight of a specified quantity, but as different methods
of charring and kinds of wood produce charcoal of varying
specific gravities, the custom in certain localities was probably
determined by these causes. The bushel, by weight, has been
growing, for one manager could not afford to pay as much for 18
a