AMERICAN INDUSTRIES SINCE COLUMBUS. 167 



vertical section of the furnace, which is also copied by Percy, 

 and which we present in Fig. 14. 



In Fig. 13, A is a heap of uncalcined bog-ore ; B, a calcining 

 fire of wood on which the ore is " roasted " ; C, a heap of calcined 

 bog-ore ; D, earth-borer, used to search for ores ; E, charcoal-rake ; 

 F, iron shovel ; G, tongs for drawing the " bloom " from the 

 hearth of the furnace ; H, cinder-hook, also used in handling the 

 bloom ; K, bar, used for clearing the cinder-notch and tuyere ; L, 

 large sledge for hammering the " bloom " ; MM, the lump of 

 iron ; N, the hatchet ; O, the treadles for working the bellows ; P, 

 bridge of planks; Q, tap-hole for cinder; R, tuyere; S, wooden 

 shovel for filling ore into the furnace. It will be noticed that the 



Fin. 14. Vertical Section of an Osmund Furnace. 



masonry of the furnace is incased by timber-work, which is 

 locked together at the angles. This construction, rude and unsat- 

 isfactory as it appears to eyes familiar with the iron-bound fur- 

 nace-stacks of the present day, was a not uncommon one as applied 

 to the earlier blast-furnaces in this country ; and those in which 

 it was employed were called " log-furnaces," to distinguish them 

 from furnaces whose exterior walls were entirely of masonry. 

 The bellows, in the case of the Osmund furnace illustrated, appear 

 to have been operated by a woman, who, by stepping first on one 

 of the treadles and then on the other, thus raised by her weight 

 the bellows boards alternately ; while at the same time her nim- 

 ble fingers were busy with distaff and spindle. We think we are 

 entirely safe in saying that this method of blowing a furnace was 

 never employed in America. 



It is not certain that the Osmund furnace was ever used in 

 this country, as we find no mention of any furnace having been 

 erected called by that name ; but, when we consider its simplicity 

 and consequent cheapness of construction, and that it was (accord- 



