OFEARTHS. S7 



the navy. The chief manure is limcftone, had in great plenty 

 in feveral quarries. 



The banks of the river Tweed in Norbam/hirc, and about Wark 

 and Car/jam, are a fine fertile loam ; the manures chiefly lime 

 and marles. 



Glen-dale is moftly a light, arenaceous brown earth, improved 

 with dungs and lime ; the crops rye, barley, peas, and wheat. 



The vales' of Whitingham, Wallington, and North Tyne, are a good 

 foil, argillaceous in general, but in fome places a brown loam 

 and gravel, efpecially in the low fhadowy meadows, by run- 

 ning flreams. 



After this reprefentation of the ftate of hufbandry, of the im- 

 proved foils, and method of culture amongft us, I mall now 

 take notice of our earths which are of ufe in other arts. 



The white foap-earth, or Steatites, the Panetonlurn of Authors (a) t 

 is found in fmall veins on Calleley-hill. It is of a beautiful white, 

 of a clofe texture, and glofly furface, when cut, feeling foft and 

 undluous to the fingers, but not colouring them ; breaks freely ; 

 melts in the mouth into a fubflance like cream, and in water is 

 diffufible, making a flight ebullition ; duftile and tough under 

 moifture. It does not efFervefce with aqua fortis. In the fire it 

 crackles and burfts, acquires a moderate hardnefs and a duller 

 colour. It was one of the native colours ufed by the antients in 



(a) Steatites quae Paraetonium antiquorum. Da Cofta, Nat. Hift. FofT. p, 35. N. 13. 

 Woodw. Cat. Fofl". c. a. 13. 



Arigilla albiflima ponderofa tenax. Quae Parstonium Authorum. Hill. Hift. Foff. 

 p. 1 7. No. i. 



Paraetonium vel Paraetonion. Plin. Hift. Nat. 1. 33. c. 5. et 1. 35. c. 6. 



paint- 



