The productions of Flintshire that deserve meet notice are the minerals, whose preparation gives em ployment to a considerable portion of the population.
Coals are found in abundance, chiefly near the banks of the Dee, and in other parts near the surface, and in very thick seams. The city of Chester is princi pally supplied with its fuel from hence, and consider able quantities were shipped for Ireland before the change in the course of the Dee, and before the coal-mines of Lancashire and Cumberland had at tained their present extent. Lead is most copiously raised, from a very extensive mining tract, near Holywell, and in the same excavations is raised most excellent limestone, applicable to the purposes of apiculture as well as building, and so hard, that it will bear a high polish, and is a kind of marble. Be low the limestone is found petrosilex, which is ground and becomes very valuable in the manufacture of earthenware. Calamine found in considerabe quantities; a part is exported, but much is used within the county in the preparation of brass. The lead is divided by the miners into two classes : that called cubic, or dice ore, is generally used in glazing earthenware ; the other called white, or steel-grain ed ore, is principally cast into pigs for distant con sumption; this latter contains a portion of silver, sufficient to defray the expense of separating the metals, and several thousand ounces have been an nually extracted. The workmen in the lead mines are visited with maladies that both embitter and shorten their lives.
The manufactories of this county are very'consi derable, and have taken that course which the na tural productions have indicated. Brass is made by the mixture of copper with calamine, and formed into the different shapes to fit it for domestic and commercial purposes. Copper-works, under the Pargs-mine Company, are constructed, and produce large quantities of copper sheathing, bolts, nails, and other necessaries for naval equipment, as well as brass wire and minuter articles. The potteries are very extensive, and manufacture large quantities of the inferior kinds of earthenware, which supply the consumption of a great part of Wales, and export considerable quantities to Ireland. Besides these
manufactories which the minerals have introduced, the fine stream that issues from the well of St Wene frede has attracted the attention of cotton-spinners, who have erected a most powerful mass of machin ery. They carry on the operations of carding and spinning cotton to a great extent.
The agriculture of this county is in a neglected state, and draws to it a very insufficient portion of its capital ; hence few improvements have been adopted of late years. Near the banks of the Dee is some good corn land, of a clayey texture, on which, after a fallow, good wheat is grown. The meadows, in this part, produce excellent herbage, and the cows afford the best possible butter. The northern part of the county is generally a level country, and well cal culated forthe growth of wheat, oats, and beans. On the higher lands rye is cultivated, but those lands are very imperfectly tilled, and are nearly destitute of manure. The rich vale of Mold forms a striking contrast with the more mountainous parts of the county, and yields very good butter, corn, and meat.
ties, are numerous, and invite the attention of the antiquarian. A few years ago, whilst digging for the purpose of laying the foundation of a copper work, a Roman hypocaust, or hot bath, was discovered, fur nished with numerous flues, covered with tiles of a red colour; a clear evidence that the county had been anciently inhabited by some persons acquainted with the luxuries of Rome.
Few counties, for the extent, contain so many gentlemen's seats as Flintshire : the most remark able are Mostyn Hall, Sir Thomas Mostyn ; Penge wern, Sir Edward Pryce Lloyd ; Boddlewyddan, Sir John Williams ; Kinmael Hall, Reverend Edward Hughes; Gwernhailed, Philip Lloyd Fletcher, Esq. ; Hanmer Hall, Sir Thomas Hanmer; Downing, David Pennant, Esq. ; Heiken, Earl Grosvenor; Adwynt, J. Roberts, Esq. ; Llewenny Hall, Lord Kirkwall.