CLAYS OF NEW YORK 631 



information can be gained concerning the quality of the material. 

 If these results are promising, it is worth while sending several 

 barrels of the clay tO' different works, in order to test it on a 

 practical scale. 



Analyses, with our present knowledge of clays, are of more value 

 in the case of high grade materials. 



Methods of working 



1 The clay is dug at any convenient spot in the bank, usually 

 at the base, working inward; thus in the case of a high bank 

 eventually leaving quite a steep face. The bank is apt tO' slide 

 sooner or later and the men begin again at the base of the slip and 

 work inward. There is one disadvantage in this method, that the 

 several qualities of clay, if it be in strata, become mixed, which is 

 not desirable in all cases. It has, however, the advantage of mak- 

 ing the haulage all on one level. Of course, in this method, haul- 

 age by cart is the most convenient. Cost, 25-30c a thousand 

 brick for about 500 feet of lead. 



2 A second method, one rarely used, is to loosen the clay by 

 means of plows and bring it to the yard by scraper, provided of 

 course the clay bank adjoins the yard. Yery few yards employ this 

 method. It costs about 20c a thousand brick to plow the clay and 

 bring it down with scrapers. To' this must be added the price of 

 getting the clay from the heaps to the molding machines, a distance 

 of about 60 feet. In plowing clay, the bank is usually worked at an 

 angle of about 30 degrees. This method has nO' special advantage. 

 The clay is more broken up and is exposed to the weather for 

 several days ; this adds materially to the quality of pressed brick, 

 but for common brick it is of little importance. This method is 

 sometimes used where the deposit is extensive and shallow, wheel 

 scrapers being used im case the haul is not long enough to require a 

 locomotive. 



3 Working in benches. This method is one commonly used 

 where the bank is over 25 feet high. The benches are 6 to 8 feet 



