BOOK III. CHAP. VIIL S49 



nitrous flioots, or efflorfecencies, are feen in great abundance about 

 all ftone and brick buildings in the ifland, near the fea, where the 

 mortar, or plaiftcr, has been tempered with brackifli water ; and 

 they very fpeedily demolifh prints, or other paper, placed in cou- 

 tad with them, 



253. Marble. 



The whltifh fhell-marble is confounded with the lime-ftone in this 

 ifland; it is mofl common in all the hills and lower mountains j it 

 has a fmooth grain, and takes a good polifli. There are found veins 

 of black and white marble in feveral parts of the countrv, but none 

 have as yet been worked. The common runc-flone is of various kinds 

 but the fliell-marble above-mentioned makes the beft, cement ^ and 

 when compounded with a fharp, clean fand, and frefli water, acquires 

 in time a foUdity equal to ftone. The lime, when properly burnt here 

 in ftanding kilns, is not inferior to any in the world, either for build- 

 ing, or tempering fugar ; notwithftanding which, fome planters, ra- 

 ther than be at the trouble of manufafturing it properly, import their 

 lime, at a confiderably greater expence, from Brlftol. Moft of the 

 planters, who ufc the Jamaica lime, burn it in circular, conical piles, 

 ranging the ftrata of ftone and wood alternately from the bottom to 

 the top, which they bring to a point. In the Northfide parifhes, where 

 the fugar, from richnefs of land, is often foul and difficult to granu- 

 late, and the trumpet trees grow in fufficient abundance, it might an- 

 fwer well to burn their temper-lime intirely with this wood ; and, by 

 making ufe of a flanding-kiln, a lefs quantity of fuel would fuffice. 

 The afhes, mingling with the lime, would add greatly to its flrength 

 and efficacy in refining and purging the fy rup. 



It is certain, that our planters here are not fo provident as they 

 ought to be in the choice of lime, and in ihc tempering of their fugars. 

 In the Windward Ifles lime is not manufaftured, by reafon of the fcarcit/ 

 of fuel ; they import moft of what they ufe from Briftol. The great 

 error with us in Jamaica confifts in not burning our temper-lime in 

 ftandlng-kilns. Some gentlemen, who ufe kilns of this fort, find their 

 lime not at all inferior in ftrength to that which comes from BriftoL 

 Vol. hi. 5 Q Thefe 



