1 64 Coffee Planting. 



The quantity of water must not exceed what is 

 necessary to render the clay sufficiently plastic for 

 manipulation and moulding. 



The next step is to level off and clear a piece of 

 ground immediately adjacent, on which the bricks 

 when newly moulded may be laid out to dry. 



The moulds should be of wood bound with 

 iron, and made double, so as to admit of duplicate 

 bricks being turned out together. The dimensions 

 should be a trifle larger than the size the brick is 

 intended to be, so as to allow for the shrinking in 

 the kiln. 



The clay may be trodden out either by coolies, 

 or by bullocks, buffaloes, or elephants. The animals 

 last-named do the work the most efficiently, but 

 their services are not always to be obtained. 



The prepared clay being in readiness, the mould 

 must first be dipped in water, then placed on a 

 wooden bench and well filled ; the wet, soft clay 

 being next well squeezed in; the top may then be 

 smoothed over with the wet hand, any superfluous 

 clay being removed. The mould may now be 

 drawn to the edge of the bench, and its contents 

 gently slipped on to a piece of board, and on this 

 conveyed to the adjoining levelled drying-ground, 

 and there deposited. The newly-formed bricks 

 must now be allowed thoroughly, but gradually, to 

 dry ; and in order that the process may be a slow 



