There is an exhaustive article on Pise in Vol. XXVII of _The Cyclopaedia
or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature_, published in
1819. The writer, Abraham Rees, D.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., draws chiefly on
French authorities and his directions are most detailed and precise.
[Illustration: PISE.
_Implements for Pise or Rammed Earth Buildings_
+Pise Plant and Implements.+
(Reproduced from an old Encyclopaedia.)]
_Definition._--He introduces his subject thus:
"Pise-building, in Rural Economy, the name of a method of building with
loamy or other earthy matters, which has long been practised with great
success, and in a very cheap manner, in some departments of France, and
which is now had recourse to with similar advantage in some parts of
this country. It has been described, delineated, and recommended by Mr.
H. Holland in the first volume of _Communications to the Board of
Agriculture_, and is to be managed somewhat in the manner directed
below."
* * *
At great length and with immense detail, the plant, the preliminaries,
and the process are each severally described.
The pith of the matter is sufficiently given by the following extracts:
_Shuttering._--"For the construction of the mould, take several planks,
each 10 ft. long, of light wood, in order that the mould may be easy to
handle; deal is the best as being least liable to warp. To prevent which
the boards should be straight, sound, well seasoned, and with as few
knots as possible. Let them be ploughed and tongued, and planed on both
sides. Of these planks, fastened together with four strong ledges on
each side, the mould must be made, 2 ft. 9 in. in height; and two
handles should be fixed to each side.
"All the boards and ledges here mentioned must be, after they are
planed, something more than 1 in. thick."
_Rammer._--"The instrument with which the earth is rammed into the mould
is a tool of the greatest consequence, on which the firmness and
durability, in short the perfection, of the work depends. It is called a
pisoir, or rammer; and though it may appear very easy to make it, more
difficulty will be found in the execution than is at first apprehended.
A better idea of its construction may be formed by examining the Plate,
in which it is delineated, than any words can convey. It should be made
of hard wood, either ash, oak, beech, walnut, etc., or what is
preferable, the roots of either of them."
_Method of Working._--"Pise contains all the best principles of masonry,
together with some rules peculiar to itself, which are now to be
explained.
"To begin with the foundation; this may be made of any kind of masonry
that is durable, and should be raised to the height of 2 ft. above the
ground; which is necessary to secure the walls from the moisture of the
earth, and the splashing of the rain, which will drop from the eaves of
the roof.[4] When these foundation walls are made level, and 18 in.
thick, mark upon them the distance at which the joists are to be set,
for receiving the moulds; those distances should be 3 ft. each from
centre to centre. Each side of the mould being 10 ft. long, will divide
into three lengths of 3 ft. each, and leave 6 in. at each end, which
serve to lengthen the mould at the angles of the house and are useful
for many other purposes. After having set the joists in their places,
the masonry must be raised between them 6 in. higher, that is, to a
level with the joists; there will, therefore, altogether be a base of
2-1/2 ft., which in most cases will be found more than sufficient to
prevent the rain, frost, snow, or damp from injuring the walls. Raise
the mould immediately on this new masonry, placing it over one of the
angles of the wall.
[Footnote 4: The introduction of a damp-course and the provision
of gutters at the eaves greatly reduce the function of the
masonry base in modern work.]
[Headnote: The Ramming]
"A workman should be placed in each of the three divisions of the mould,
the best workman being placed at the angle. He is to direct the work of
the other two, and by occasionally applying a plumb-rule, to take care
that the mould does not swerve from its upright position. The labourers
who dig and prepare the earth must give it in small quantities to the
workmen in the mould, who, after having spread it with their feet, begin
to compress it with the rammer. They must only receive at a time so much
as will cover the bottom of the mould to the thickness of 3 or 4 in. The
first strokes of the rammer should be given close to the sides of the
mould, but they must be afterwards applied to every other part of the
surface; the men should then cross their strokes, so that the earth may
be compressed in every direction. Those who stand next to one another in
the mould should regulate their strokes so as to beat at the same time
under the cord, because that part cannot be got at without difficulty,
and must be struck obliquely; with this precaution, the whole will be
equally compressed. The man at the angle of the wall should beat
carefully against the head of the mould.
"Care must be taken that no fresh earth is received into the mould till
the first layer is well beaten, which may be ascertained by striking it
with a rammer; the stroke should leave hardly any print on the place.
They must proceed in this manner to ram in layer after layer, till the
whole mould is full. When this is done, the machine may be taken to
pieces, and the earth which is contained will remain firm and upright,
about 9 ft. in length and 2-1/2 ft. in height. The mould may then be
replaced for another length, including 1 in. of that which has first
been completed.
"The first course being thus completed, we proceed to the second; and
here it must be observed that in each successive course we must proceed
in a direction contrary to that of the preceding. It may easily be
conceived, that with this precaution the joints of the several lengths
will be inclined in opposite directions, which will contribute very much
to the firmness of the work. There is no reason to fear overcharging the
first course with the second, though but just laid; for three courses
may be laid without danger in one day.
"This description of the first two courses is equally applicable to all
the others, and will enable any person to build a house, with no other
materials than earth, of whatever height and extent he pleases.
"With respect to the gables, they may be made without any difficulty, by
merely making their inclination in the mould and working the earth
accordingly."