114 Observations on Iron and Steel. 
apply the bar to another of the piles of semi-fluid 
metal, to which it quickly cements, is taken again to 
the hammer, the bar first draw serving as a handle, 
and drawn down as before. The imperfections in 
the bars are remedied by putting them into another 
fire called the chafery, and again subjecting them 
to the a€tion of the forge hammer. 
~The above method is now most in use, and is 
called flourishing; but the iron made by this pro- 
cess is in no respect superior to that which I am 
going to describe. ‘It is, however, not so expensive, 
and requires less labour. 
The process for refining crude iron, which was 
most common previously to the introduction of 
flourishing, is as follows. 
The pigs of cast iron are put into the refinery, as 
above, where they remain until they have acquired 
a consistence resembling paste, which happens in 
about two hours anda half. The iron is then taken 
out of the refinery and laid upon a cast iron plate on 
the floor, and beaten by the workmen with hand 
hammers, to knock off the cinders and other extra- 
neous matters which adhere to the metal. It is af- 
terwards taken to the forge hammer and beaten, first 
gently, till it has obtained a little tenacity; then the 
middle part of the piece is drawn into a bar, about 
half an inch thick, three inches broad, and four feet 
long; leaving at each end.a thick square lump of im- 
perfect iron. It this foym itis called ancony. Itis 
