252

A DISCOURSE

by Dr. Keffler, for the incomparably baking of bread, &c, would be anextraordinary expedient of husbanding our fuel, as well as the right ming-ling, and making up of charcoal-dust and loam, as it is hinted to us bySir Hugh Platt, and is generally used in Maestricht, Liege , and thecountry about it; than which there is not a more sweet, lasting, and beau-tiful fuel. The manner -of it is -thus:

Take about one third part of the smallest of any coal, (pit, sea, or char-coal,) and commixing it very well with loam, (whereof there is in someplaces to be found a sort somewhat more combustible,) make it up intoballs (moistened with a little urine of man or beast) as big as an ordinarygoose-egg, or somewhat bigger; or, if you will, in any other form, likebrick-bats, &c. Expose these in the air till they are thoroughly dry; theymay be built into the most orderly fires you can imagine, will burn veryclear, give a wonderful heat, and continue a very long time. But firstyou must make the fire of charcoal, or small-coal, covering it with yourc^^s, hot-fhots, or hovilles, as they are called, and building them uo inpyramids, or what shape you please; they willcontinue a glowing, solemn,and constant fire for seven or eight hours, without being stirred; then en-courage and recruit the innermost with a few fresh eggs, and turn therest, which are not yet quite reduced to cinders. This mixture is devisedto slacken the impetuous devouring of the fire, and to keep the coalsfrom consuming too fast e .

e About Bristol , Brislington, and other places of the west of England, they make coalballs of their culm, or small refuse coal, which would not otherwife be saleable. Theway in which these balls are prepared, is to take a certain quantity of the culm, to whichthey add an equal quantity of sleech, or mud, which the tide leaves on the sea-shore.After mixing them grofsly with shovels, they blend them with their hands more perfectly,and mould them into balls of six. inches in diameter. And in making them up, they workas much cuhn into the slecch with their hands, as they pofsibly can without making themcrumbly. These balls may be burnt immediately, or they may be laid up and kept aslong as the owner pleases. This kind of fuel makes a pleasant, fierce, and good fire, andand emits no disagreeable fumes. 'Coal'balls are made in Wales, particularly about Car-marthen , in another way. Instead of sleecn, they there use clay, allowing two partsculm to one of clay. To the heap they add a sufficient quantity of water, tempering alltogether in the manner of mortar. When sufficiently mixed they form the whole into balls.These last-mentioned balls, made with clay, do not make so pleasant a fuel as those madewith sleech, because the clay is apt to send forth a stinking smoke, especially if the ballsare burnt before they are-dry ; yet notwithstanding this inconvenience, they make a cheapiSlid good fuel.