[ 38 ]
open; fix across the box two rods or laths near the middle, about four inches below the top, and about ten inches apart, then have six sieves made of wooden splits, in the same manner as a wheat rid- dle, but much finer, the coarsest should be as fine as a cockle sieve, or little finer, and to each sieve to increase in fineness till the last is as fine as ] possible. I believe it were best to make the two coarsest of wire; then take about a quart of the paste, put it into the coarsest sieve, set the sieves on the two rods that are fixed across the box, then work the sieve with a circular motion, which will press the paste through the sieve in large and un- shapely grains, and when a considerable quantity is passed through, then sift it over again in the next coarsest sieve, and so till the grains are fine enough. The last sieve must be so fine, that whatever pas- ses through it, will be too fine for Powder, and is to be worked over the next batch. As the paste will naturally roll together in large round balls, when worked in the sieve, a board must be made near as large in circumference as a common pew- ter plate, and about one inch thick on the center, declining to the edge, of some hard wooden turned in a lath, and as smooth as possible. This board must be put into the sieve among the paste, which breaks the lumps in pieces, and the paste through thee sieve.
When the Powder is well grained in the man- ner directed, it must be rolled in a barrel, the in- side of which is to be made as smooth as conveni- ently may be, with as small a door cut in one side, capable of being shut tight , and the barrel to be fixed so as to be turned by the shaft of the
mill.
