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spot, let it be carted in to that depth. Any ordinary clay 

 will answer. Tread this clay over with cattle, and add 

 some straw cut six or eight inches long. After the clay 

 is well tempered by working it with cattle, the material 

 is duly prepared for making the brick. A mould is then 

 formed of plank, of the size of the brick desired. In Eng- 

 land, they are usually made eighteen inches long, one 

 foot wide, and nine inches thick. I have found the more 

 convenient size to be, one foot long, seven inches wide, 

 and five inches thick. The mould should have a bottom. 

 The clay is then placed in the mould in the same manner 

 that brick moulds are ordinarily filled. A wire or piece 

 of iron hoop, will answer very well for striking off the 

 top. One man will mould about as fast as another can 

 carry away, two moulds being used by him. The bricks 

 are placed upon the level ground, where they are suf- 

 fered to dry two days, turning them up edgewise the sec- 

 ond day ; and then packed in a pile, protected from the 

 rain, and left to dry ten or twelve days, during which 

 time the foundation of the building can be prepared. If 

 a cellar is desired, this must be formed of stone or brick, 

 one foot above the surface of the ground. For cheap' 

 buildings on the prairie, wood sills, twelve or fourteen 

 inches wide, may be laid on piles or stones. This will 

 form a good superstructure. Where lime and small stones 

 abound, grout made of those materials (lime and stones) 

 will answer very well. 



In all cases, however, before commencing the walls for 

 the first story it is very desirable, as well in this case as 

 in walls of brick, to lay a course of slate ; this will inter- 

 cept the dampness so often rising in the walls of brick 

 houses. The wall is laid by placing the brick length- 

 wise, thus making the wall one foot thick. Ordinary 

 clay, such as is used for clay mortar, will suffice, though 



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