Total 295 3 



As Pictou coal is now largely used in the manufacture of illumi- 

 nating gas, the following comparative trials of the volume of gas 

 which it affords, made by the writer in the spring of 1854, may be 

 interesting. They were made on a small scale, by means of an iron 

 retort and graduated glass vessels ; but their accuracy was afterwards 

 confirmed by trials of some of the coals on the large scale in the Pictou 

 Gas-work. 



Cubic feet 

 per Ton. 



Coal from upper nine feet of the main scam, from the Dal- 



housie pits, ........ 3902 



Coal from middle of main seam, the portion now mined in 



the lower floor ........ 5080 



(Joal from upper three feet of best coal of deep seam, . . 6668 



Coal from lower three feet of best coal of deep seam, . . 8504 



The average yield of the first of these samples in the Pictou Gas- 

 work is about 4000 cubic feet. As some of the other coals now 

 worked are even more productive of gas, it may be anticipated that 



