Slates should

quarries.

Was the value of these slates duly estimated, howsoever be cut at the plenteous and inexhaustible at their quarries, they might there, by means of various patterns, saws, drills, rasps, and other proper machinery, while moist and soft, be formed into differently sized parallelograms, with the greatest facility, accuracy, and dispatch; and every slate being made thereby to retain the utmost regular size its rough dimensions would admit of, much unnecessary waste would be avoided, and being afterwards regularly classed and denominated by the number of inches in their lengths and breadths respectively, (as nine fifteens, ten eighteens,, &c. instead of the burlesque terms of ladies, countesses, and duchesses) they might with much less expense be conveyed to their respective destinations; and when, whatever the class preferred, they would be also much more conveniently and effectively applied, than if of various shapes and sizes. Millstones, grindstones, and indeed all others, if raised at a distance from their respective destinations, are prudently divested of all superfluous matter and weight at their quarries; and, but for its claim to exemption from all that is rational, there is no cause why the same economy may not be used in the removal of slate.

Thatching

carded.

From considerations of the great scarcity, and high price should be dis- of timber in general, and consequent necessity for our regarding the most frugal use of that article; also, the immense waste of that ground-work of all our wealth and support, manure for our lands, that has, through all ages, from time immemorial prevailed in the use of thatch; and finally, from the certain and very great danger of the latter being destroyed by fire; the obvious absurdity of using it at all, wherever a better material may be obtained, one might naturally suppose would evince the propriety of an almost universal recourse to light thin slates, as a most eligible material for roofing in general.

Danget of fires

instanced.

I recollect no less than six fires having taken place in my native village, from its cottages having been covered with thatch. One of them was occasioned by sparks from a forge; another by those from an oven; and three, if not four, were generally supposed to have proceeded from the hands of incendiaries. It is observable, that during the

whole

whole period of the above only one fire has happened there under a roof formed of slate: and that in the building of all houses since, that article has judiciously obtained a preference.

With a view to general reformation in the matter, we may Lombardy observe, that from the universal predilection, during about poplar. thirty years past, for that very beautiful and quick growing plant, the Lombardy poplar, wisely fostered in all crowded places, and particularly the metropolis, among other good purposes, for the purification of the atmosphere, its fine straight timbers begin now necessarily to be taken down and brought to market, so that in a short time we may expect an abundant supply; and although, being of a very light and soft texture, no particular use has yet been assigned them, there cannot be a doubt of their being ere long very generally used, at least for inferior buildings; the pre- Cautions re cautions being regarded of felling them always in winter, specting it. and when sawn, washing out their saccharine juices, by laying their scantlings awhile under water; and also giving them (together with their plank, boards, &c.) extra size, in proportion to their want of density. The Scotch fir like- Scotch firs. wise, from the scarcity and dearth of all other timber, and particularly foreign deals, begins now to be universally employed. And were the genius and peculiar properties of our immense tracts of waste lands thought worth attending to, it cannot be supposed, but that many of them, composed of light, pervious, blowing sands, and fit for little else, (such as about Basingstoke in Hampshire, and indeed to be found elsewhere in too many parts of the kingdom) might be rendered abundantly productive of this article; and which also, when felled and sawn, being properly washed, would be found very generally useful in better erections. Whenever their long horizontal roots may without obstruc tion extend themselves, howsoever infertile, in the common acceptation, the soil, their growth is generally more rapid than in land more rich; but at the same time more close and impervious. Nor, it is to be hoped, will the idea be thought

There are now lying on the Quay in this town, brought down by the Kennet and Avon Canal, many fine trees of larch, with others of

Scotch

Instance in proof of the adequacy of the method.

thought visionary, that were a sufficiency of these articles thus easily and quickly procured, they might afterwards, by means of our already numerous and constantly increasing canals, and other improved modes of conveyance, together with a proper accompaniment of blue slate, or at least the factitious red pantiles, be transmitted to every town and village in the kingdom; whence the produce of perhaps richer lands might be remitted in return, and in some degree commensurate to the expense.

Much also might be done by appropriate and judicious planning; some houses containing by far more room, and particularly useful room, than others under the same or a less quantity of roofing.

The danger of the slates being broken; and the insufficiency of the putty or cement, to keep the joints weathertight, have been objected to Mr. Tugwell's plan. In answer to this he points out a house thus covered in upward of three years ago, which has remained during that time impervious to wind, wet, or dampness of any kind from the air.

Valley des Bornes.

VII.

Heights of various Places in France, &c.; by Dr. BERGER.
Concluded from Vol. XVIII, p. 308.

SECT. IV.

Brief description of some mountains in the department of
Mont-Blanc.

THE valley des Bornes, the bottom of which is scarcely
higher than the plain of the lake of Geneva, and which is

Scotch and spruce fir, more than forty feet in length, although of less than forty years growth; they, several of them, square two feet at bot tom, and neatly one at the top; many of the larch, approaching nearer to parallelisms, are straight, and free from knots; and the lower lengths of even the Scotch fir cut very good board; while their tops serve well Method of for coarse roof timbers; but as the knots in these dispose their scantlings treating knotty to warp in drying, care should be taken to soak them immediately from plants. the saw-pit; and in about six weeks after, judiciously to stack them from the pool, placing the most knotty always at the bottom of the pile, whereby much of such warping would generally be prevented.

separated