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to be scratched with a sharp iron, or small mattock, in 

 order that the two layers may join exactly, and form but 

 one body. At Lyons, where this style of building is very 

 common, they have large cases or boxes, without bottoms, 

 which are supported by pieces of boards laid across the 

 walls ; the pieces are movable, and can be placed in 

 succession ; as they are filled with pise", the short boards 

 are drawn from their original places, and carried further 

 on to support them again, and so on in succession. In the 

 adjustment of one round to another, mark or scratch the 

 work as above, or put a little mortar to serve as a cement. 

 Also, from one story to another, it is necessary to put 

 some bits of rough board, flat and in different positions at 

 the corners, to prevent the walls from separating. The 

 partitions are done in the same way. Spaces are always 

 kept open for windows and doors, by placing the frames 

 for them beforehand, or they are set in brick or stone, 

 where either is convenient. 



By either method of making the pise*, in a little time, 

 and at small expense, can be constructed houses and other 

 rural buildings, covering them like brick or stone houses. 

 Both these methods have, however, an essential defect; 

 which is, that the ramming of the earth, and consequently 

 the hardness and solidity of the pise", vary from one box 

 to another, and from morning to afternoon. This solidity 

 depends, in fact, upon the expertness and strength of the 

 rammers, which are not always in the same degree. In 

 the morning, for instance, the work is always well rammed, 

 but toward night, fatigue necessarily causes some diminu- 

 tion : hence, a sort of imperfection in the work. Again, 

 as the work must be done in the open air, (which suits 

 warm countries very well, where it rains at long inter- 

 vals,) it is often exposed to rains in our mild climate : 

 (France :) and rain is a great obstacle, which occasions 



