46 GEOLOGY OF TRICIIIXOPOLY, &C. [ChAP. III. 



Still, owing, lioweverj to the fine contrast between tlie red soil and 

 green foliagej there is some pretty scenery. In many places the water is 

 so highly charged with iron in solution, that even after filtering, it re- 

 tains a dark reddish brown coluor, which, however, does not give it any 

 bad taste, though it stains linen- clothes. 



Economically considered, the grits and laterite furnish little beyond 

 tolerable building stone, and a fair road material, owing to its aptitude 

 for binding. Wherever it is procurable, the roads ought to be in good con- 

 dition, and when not at too great a distance, its good qualities are well 

 worth a large outlay in the cost of carriage. These remarks apply spe- 

 cially to the south-east corner of South Arcot, the north of Tanjore dis- 

 trict, and some parts of the south-east of Trichinopoly district, where the 

 laterite is either at hand or at no very great distance. A few additional 

 remarks on adaptation of laterite to building- purposes will be found in 

 the Chapter on Economic Geology. 



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