ible. When properly mixed the
molten alloy is poured into rectangular or cylindrical moulds. After
cooling, the bars are driven between immense rollers, to be formed into
sheet-brass. This process is very much like rolling out dough for
pie-crust, and is repeated many times. But the great pressure to which the
sheets are subjected makes the alloy very brittle, so that it has to be
softened or "annealed," as it is called, by being heated red-hot in very
large ovens before each re-rolling. When the sheets have attained the
required thinness, they are cut into widths and lengths suitable for easy
handling, transportation, and manufacture.

We also saw sheets of copper and German silver made in a similar manner.
The latter is simply brass that has had some nickel added to it to make it
white like silver.

The cylindrical casts above mentioned are placed in machines that draw
them into wire or tubing. The process is a most interesting one, though
rather difficult to describe.

A large quantity of the products of these works is used directly in the
very town, in factories for making clocks, watches, pins, and other
articles.

It is interesting and curious to note how the manufacture of brass in this
country originally started.

During the war of 1812 many useful articles became scarce; among these
were buttons. A man named Benedict, who lived in Waterbury, began to make
them out of bone, and became very prosperous.

About 1830 "Dame Fashion" ordained that brass or gilt buttons should be
worn. At first Benedict imported brass from England, but as he could not
get it of the required thinness, he resolved to make it himself. As copper
was scarce, he travelled about the country, buying up old copper kettles
and other things made of copper, which he melted with zinc, and had the
resulting brass slabs rolled at a neighboring iron rolling-mill. In this
way the great brass industry of the United States started. Its product is
now valued at $60,000,000 a year.

H.H. ROGERS, JR.

APRIL 6th, 1897.

PINS.

Among the factories of interest in and around Waterbury, Conn., is the
Clinton Pin Factory. This is one of the largest in America, and has
perhaps the most highly developed machinery in the world.

It is well to remember that the pin-machine is a purely American
invention, and its immense advantage can be fully appreciated if we recall
that it does the work that was required of ei