22 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY
from 8s. to 36s, per bing(for getting, and waſhing, Or cleaning) according to the richneſs. quality, or hardneſs of the mine. If the owners ſell any of the ore in this ſtate, the price is generally from 31. 10s. to 4l. 105. per bing, but they moſtly have ſmelt mills of their on, where they ſmelt it at their own coſt, take the filver out of it by refining,* and then caſt the lead into long pieces, call- ed pigs of 17 cwt- each.— Pig lead is ſold by the forhers a quantity containing 21 cwt. which is reckoned to ſell at a fair price when at 151. or 161. per fotherz; in 1776 ît was as low as 121. and in the beginning of 1782 it was 171. ss.—in 1788 it roſe gradually to 231. 108. per fother, which was ſeveral pounds higher than it was€ver ſold at before; but in the following year, it fell to 161. or 171. per fother, which ſhews the fluctuating price of this article.
The Ore of Zink,—is found in great abundance embed- ded with ſpar, in moſt of the veins producing lead orez but its diſtance from any braſs manufactures, and from water carriage, renders:t of little value., In theſe mines are alſo found gréat vÆiety of cryſtallizations of ſpar, quartz,&c. Xc,;
The mines which produce lead ore are Very fluctuating, and uncertain in point of profit to the adventurers z but tend to a general good, by giving employment to a numer- ous claſs of induſtrious workmen, who, being ficuated in a climate improper for the produétion of grain, are oblig- ed to receive the greateſt part of their proviſions from the more fertile diſtriéts of the county, and by thofe means encourage its agriculture,:
* The Alendale lead ore is ſmelted and refined at Dukesfield ſmelt-mill, and produces about 7 or 8 ounces of filver from each fother of lead; what is got at Fallowfield contains ſo little ſilver, that it will not pay the expence of refining; while ſome ore got ïn Alfon Moor, in Cumberland, yields 42 0Z- of filver per fother.
The proceſs of refining greatly improves the lead, by making it more dudile,
Iron
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