ire in; and making some little holes round about at several
heights, for the admission of so much air, as is requisite to keep it
burning, and to regulate the fire, by opening and stopping them at
pleasure. The process is almost the same with that of making charcoal,
as will appear in due place; for, when it is well on fire, that middle
hole is also stopp'd, and the rest of the registers so govern'd, as the
knots may keep burning, and not be suffocated with too much smoak;
whilst all being now through-heated, the tar runs down to the hearth,
together with some of the more watry sap, which hasting from all parts
towards the middle, is convey'd by the foremention'd gutter, into the
barrel or vessel placed to receive it: Thus, the whole art of tar-making
is no other, than a kind of rude distillation _per descensum_, and might
therefore be as well done in furnaces of large capacity, were it worth
the expence. When the tar is now all melted out, and run, they stop up
all the vents very close; and afterwards find the knots made into
excellent charcoal, preferr'd by the smiths before any other whatsoever,
which is made of wood; and nothing so apt to burn out when their blast
ceaseth; neither do they sparkle in the fire, as many other sorts of
coal do; so as, in defect of sea-coal, they make choice of this, as best
for their use, and give greater prices for it. Of these knots likewise
do the planters split out small slivers, about the thickness of one's
finger, or somewhat thinner, which serve them to burn instead of
candles; giving a very good light. This they call candle-wood, and it is
in much use both in New-England, Virginia, and amongst the Dutch
planters in their villages; but for that it is something offensive, by
reason of the much fuliginous smoak which comes from it, they commonly
burn it in the chimney-corner, upon a flat stone or iron; except,
occasionally, they carry a single stick in their hand, as there is need
of light to go about the house. It must not be conceiv'd, by what we
have mention'd in the former description of the knots, that they are
only to be separated from the bodies of the trees by devouring time, or
that they are the only materials, out of which tar can be extracted: For
there are in these tracts, millions of trees which abound with the same
sort of knots, and full of turpentine fit to make tar: But the labour of
felling these trees, and of cutting out their knots, would far exceed
the value of t