PISE, STRAW, AND BRICKS. [To THE EDITOR OF THE "
SPECTATOR."] BM—Those who know rural Spain are familiar with houses made of Pied de Terre, which lasts for generations. I have frequently lived in homes made of this material.
On the question of the task of the Israelites under Pharaoh a new view is given in modern works on chemistry :- " It was found that when straw is treated with water the extract obtained has the same action on clay as tannin has, the plasticity of the clay and the hardness of the brick being greatly increased. It seems therefore a plausible view that the straw was used, not for the purpose of binding the clay, but for the purpose of rendering the clay more plastic; and the particular burden imposed on the Israelites would therefore consist in their having to make bricks with a less plastic and consequently more difficultly worked material."
On the other hand, one who knows Egypt well, and has a right to be heard on the technical side of the question, says the Egyptian clay is of such a character that unless bound by straw it would probably crack and break in the sun. I have observed chaff in the Pied houses in Spain, but have never noticed straw. That, however, may be the result of my lack of observation, as I was not on the look-out for either material.
Previous page
