The best method of testing bricks is to see if they ring when struck together; to ascertain their hardness by throwing them on to the ground, or by striking them against other bricks.

The fractured surface should also be examined in order to ascertain if it exhibits the characteristics mentioned at page 111.

Brard's test is sometimes used for bricks, but is not of much practical benefit, for the reasons stated at page 11.

The amount of water absorbed by bricks is to a certain extent an indication of their quality, and their resistance to compression, either singly or when built into brickwork, will show whether they are strong enough for the purpose required.

The following Table shows the weight and absorption of several different classes of bricks. The results marked L are from experiments made by Mr. Baldwin Latham.1 The remainder are the results of experiments made by a friend of the present writer's.

1 Latham's Sanitary Engineering.

Table Showing Absorption Of Water By Different Varieties Of Bricks

DESCRIPTION OF BRICK.

Weights when Dry.

Percentage of

Water absorbed.

lb.

oz.

Malm Cutters

4

15

22

Malm Best Seconds .

5

1 1/2

20

Malm Brown Facing Paviors

5

01/2

17

Do. Hard Paviors .

4

13

94

Washed Bright Yellow Fronts

5

1

20

Malm Shippers

5

1 1/4

8 1/3

Malm Bright Stocks .

4

13 1/2

22

Washed do.

5

0 1/2

16

Common Shippers

5

0 1/2

9

Common Grey Stocks

5

0

104

Do. Hard do. .

5

0 1/2

74

Malm Grizzles

4

134

22

Do. Place ....

5

0 1/2

21

Common Place

5

04

20

Washed Shippers

5

2

10

Do. Hard Stocks

4

15 1/2

4/14

Do. Grizzle .

5

0

21

Common Grizzle . .

5

1

18

Washed Place

5

0

21

Staffordshire Dressed Blue .

9

5

2.3 L

Do. Pressed Blue .

8

11

3.7L

Do. Common Blue .

9

0

65 L

Do. Bastard

9

8

11.8 L

Machine-made Red .

9

14

99 L

Do. from Leeds . .

10

0

10.0

Wire-cut White Gault

6

3

19.0 L

Pressed Gault

5

12

19.5 L

Brown Glazed Brick .

8

6

8.6 L