Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 2.djvu/135

 feet deep; and Huel Abraham, in 1822, was 1440; the former employed 800, and the latter 560 men in the under-ground labours. From the account formerly given of the ventilation in mines, it is evident that the miner, in returning from his work, must be frequently exposed to strong or partial currents of air.

Domestic Economy. A. Houses─There is, generally, an intimate connection between the construction of the houses and the physical structure of a district, or between its architecture and geology. And this connection is most perceptible in the habitations of the poor. Wealth can transport from a distance the materials of the castle or mansion, but poverty must be content to rear the cottage from the adjoining pit or quarry. The excellent granite and porphyry of this district afford the finest materials for building, and give to the churches and gentlemen's houses a most substantial and beautiful character. Many of the cottages are built of the same materials, but the greater proportion are constructed of clay and straw closely intermixed. This material is adopted by the poor in preference to stone, from the expence of quarrying the latter. The cottages so constructed are generally very warm and dry. They are commonly roofed with straw. Less neat in their exterior, they are also less clean and comfortable in their interior economy than the cottages of most other counties in England.

Like the Scotch and Irish cabins, they have hardly any flowers or shrubs about them, and very commonly the dunghill is near the door. They, however, almost invariably possess a small potatoe garden near them; the potatoe here, as in Ireland and Scotland,