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METHOD OF MAKING COAL BALLS AT BRISLINGTON, DESCRIBED.

Extracted from the 71st Number, p. 312, of the 3d vol. of the Museum Rusticum.

GENTLEMEN,

I FIND that a neighbour of mine, in Bristol, who signs himself a Somersetshire Man, has written you a letter, describing the method of making coal-balls in this part of the world.

I live at Brislington, and am of opinion that we in this town make as good Coal-balls as they do any where; and as our method differs somewhat from those described by your correspondent, I hope you will indulge me so much as to permit your readers to be made acquainted with it.

We in this town take one-third part of mud, (sleech), and two-thirds of small coal, (culm), these we mix very well together, after which we make it into round balls, to burn; but if these are to be burned soon, it requires some skill to manage matters properly.

Almost all I know I have learned from experience, (for I have had but little school-learning,) and this good mistress has taught me, that the best way of burning these balls is as follows:

I use no grate, but burn them on the hearth. I first cause a few cinders to be lighted; when these begin to burn, I pile up the Coal-balls over them in this form, till they rise to a point at the

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back of the chimney, I then plaster the outside over with the mixture they were made of, and making a hole at the top, and another in the front, for the

sake of vents, they burn well, and make an excel,

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Count Rumford, in the 1st vol. of his Political and Economical Essays, p. 283, gives the following Directions

FOR BOILING POTATOES SO AS TO BE EATEN AS BREAD.

THE proper mode of preparing them is not generally known.

In London this is little attended to; whereas in Lancashire and Ireland the boiling of potatoes is brought to very great perfection. When prepared in the following manner, if the quality of the root be good, they may be eaten as bread; a practice not unusual in Ireland.

The potatoes should be, as much as possible, of the same size, and the large and small ones boiled separately. They must be washed clean, and, without paring or scraping, put in a pot with cold water, not sufficient to cover them, as they will produce themselves, before they boil, a considerable quantity of fluid. They do not admit being put into a vessel of boiling water, like greens. If the potatoes are tolerably large, it will be necessary, as soon as they begin to boil, to throw in some cold water, and occasionally to repeat it, till the potatoes are boiled to the heart, (which will take from half an hour to an hour and a quarter, according to the size,) they will otherwise crack, and burst to pieces on the outside, whilst the inside will be nearly in a crude state, and

consequently very unpalatable and unwholesome. During the boiling, throwing in a little salt occasionally is found a great improvement; and it is certain that the slower they are cooked the better. When boiled, pour off the water, and evaporate the moisture, by replacing the vessel in which the potatoes were boiled once more over the fire. This makes them remarkably dry and mealy. They should be brought to the table with the skins on, and eaten with a little salt, as bread.

Nothing but experience can satisfy any one how superior the potatoe is, thus prepared, if the sort is good and mealy. Some prefer roasting potatoes; but the mode above detailed, extracted partly from the interesting paper of Samuel Hayes, Esq. of Avondale, in Ireland, (Report on the Culture of Potatoes, p. 103,) and partly from the Lancashire reprinted Reports, (p. 63,) and other communications to the Board, is, at least, equal, if not superior.

Some have tried boiling potatoes in steam, thinking by that process that they must imbibe less water. But immersion in water causes the discharge of a certain substance, which the steam alone is incapable of doing, and, by retaining which, the flavour of the root is injured; and they afterwards become dry, by being put over the fire a second time without water. With a little butter, or milk, or fish, they make an excellent mess.

These directions are so clear, that it is hardly possible to mistake them; and those who follow them exactly will find their potatoes surprisingly improved, and will be convinced that the manner of boiling them is a matter of much greater importance than has hitherto been imagined.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR,

NOT long since, I endeavoured to find, in the works of some of our most eminent divines, such a short and simple Exposition of the Lord's Prayer, as might open to the minds of Children, its extensive and spiritual signification, but I could not meet with any one exactly suited to my purpose. Failing in this endeavour, I was induced to attempt something of the kind myself, in which it has been my chief aim to give the comprehensive signification of each short Paragraph, in such few words, as may preserve the full import of each on the mind, while the words are yet on the lips.

I am, Sir,

With great Esteem,
Your faithful Servant,

C. P. F.

We are very glad to insert C. P. F.'s Paraphrase: we have not met with any thing exactly upon the same plan, which has pleased us more.

EDITOR.

A SHORT AND PLAIN PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER.

"OUR Father, which art in Heaven."-O gracious Father of all mankind, our Father, both by creation and adoption, who art every where present, but in a more especial and glorious manner art present in Heaven,

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"Hallowed be thy Name."-Banish, O Lord, from among Men, all profane and idle use of thy sacred name, which is "Great, Wonderful and

Holy," that, as it is blessed and glorified in Heaven, so it may be adored and magnified on earth, now, henceforth, and for ever!

"Thy Kingdom Come."-Extend, O Lord, the glorious light of the Gospel to distant lands, and to future ages, that the kingdoms of this world may all become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ. Reign supreme, O God, we beseech thee, in the hearts of us thy servants, governing all our thoughts, words, and works; and finally O Lord, hasten the coming of that glorious time, when thou shalt reign for ever and ever, "King of kings, and Lord of lords."

"Thy will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven.” -With the same fervent zeal and cheerful alacrity, with that entire devotion and submission with which thy will is obeyed by the blessed angels in heaven, may thy righteous will, O God, be done and suffered by us on earth!

"Give us this day our daily bread."-Thou openest thine hand, O Lord, and fillest all things living with plenteousness; "Feed us, we beseech thee, with food convenient for us this day, and teach us to cast on thee all our care for the morrow." Bestow on us, O God, whatever thou knowest to be best for our temporal, and for our spiritual welfare; and dispose us to receive all thy dispensations with grateful and submissive hearts, whether prosperous or adverse, whether sent for correction, or for improvement in righteousness.

"And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us."-For thy dear Son's sake, be merciful unto our sins, O Lord, and forgive them, as we, in obedience to his commands, and in humble imitation of his example, entirely forgive all who have either injured or offended us; and in all sincerity of heart do we beseech thee, O Father of mercies, to forgive them also.

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