Granulation of Shsl. 363 



3 . Granulation of S/.'ct. 



THE manufafture of common fowling fliot confifts merely in caufing the fufed metal to 

 fall in equal fpherlcnl drops into water. The lead is melted with the addition of a fmall 

 proportion of arfenic, which, being reduced to a metallic ftate, by means of greafe ftirred 

 in during the fufion, renders it lefs fluid. An oblong fliallow veffel of iron, perhaps to 

 inches wide, 14. long, and 2j deep, called a carJ, whofe bottom is pierced with holes pro- 

 portionate to the intended fize of the fhot, is placed at the height of from one to three 

 inches, over the furf.ice of a tub of water, covered with a thin film of oil. The card is 

 previoufly heated to the temperature of the metal by immerging it in the cauldron ; and a 

 {Iratum of foft drofs or fcoris, v^/hich are found on the furfacc of the fufed alloy, is then 

 placed nn its perforated bottom, and, being flightly prefled down with the ladle, forms a kind 

 of filter, which partly chokes up the apertures, and prevents the metal from flc ving through 

 them in continuous dreams. The fufed metal is then poured by ladlefulls into this veflel, 

 and appears notwithftanding to run through it with coiifiderable velocity ; fo that it feems 

 difficult to believe that it falls in feparate drops, till convinced by taking up a quantity of fliot 

 from the bottom of the water. 



The fhot thus made is not without confiderable imperfe£lions. The exterior coat of the 

 lower part of the drop becoming fuddenly fixed by the contadl of the water, its fuperior 

 portion, which is ftill liquid, as it alfo cools and contrafts, neceflarily pits, like the furface 

 of metal in the channel of a mould, fo that the greater part of the fhot are foraevvhat hollow 

 and of an irregular form ; confequently too light for the purpofe to which they are deftined, 

 and liable to uneqrial refiftance in their paffage through the air. Thefe defedlis are remedied 

 in the patent {hot, the manufacture of which differs only from that of the preceding kind in 

 the addition of a larger portion of arfenic, which varies according to the quality of the lead; 

 in dropping it from fuch a height that it becomes /olid lefore it enters the water, which is from 

 40 to ICO feet; and in fome fubfequent operations, which are as follows: It is firft dried 

 and fifted. It is then boarded, which confills in fcattering it on feveral poliihed flabs or 

 trays of hard wood, with rims, in the form of a 11, except that the fides converge towards 

 the lower part, to which a (light inclination and alternate motion in their own planes are 

 given by boys employed in the manufa£lure. The fhot whofe form is imperfe£l are de- 

 teiTled by the fluggiftinefs of their motion, and remain behind, whilft the others roll off from 

 the board. The laft operation is the poll thing ; which is performed by agitating it, with the 

 addition of a very fmall quantity of black lead, not exceeding two fpoonfuls to a ton, in an 

 iron veflel, turning on an horizontal axis, like a barrel-churn. It does not appear that any 

 higher degree of perfeftion than that which is thus att:»ined remains to be defired. The 

 argentine brilliancy of the (hot when newly made, the beautiful accuracy of its form, and 

 the curious inftance of inanimate tnftics which it prefents when fcattcrtd on a plate, render 

 it even an agreeable obje£l of contemplation. 



4. Prtcipitation of Magnefia. 

 THE moft flriking oharafters of common magnefia, and thofe which are mod relied on by 

 a purchafcr who has not the means of analylis at hand, as indicative of its purity, are its 

 levity and impalpability : it is therefore a matter of fome importance to thofc who deal in 



this 



