56 GEOLOGY OF TRICHINOPOLY^ &C. [ChAP. IV. 1. 



little fragments of Jcunkur for lime. Thej'- admit the superiority of 

 the stone-lime, but say that a basketful of the ordinary kind is quite 

 good enough for their work."*^ At Naivailie, fine masses of limestone 

 have been quarried, but for no other purpose than to enable the workmen 

 to get more easily at the bed of quartzite which is adjacent on the north- 

 ern side.f The limestone, however, is undoubtedly 



Economic value of ^ valuable material, and mie-ht with advantage be 



limestone. ^ o o 



used when obtainable in sufficient quantity. As a 

 material for building, it is lighter than any of the gneiss rocks, and the 

 finer varieties are not exceeded in durability by any of these. The 

 limestone at Polliam is most conveniently situated for quarrying, being 

 close to the high road, and blocks adapted either for ornamental or ordinary 

 building purposes would be easily obtainable from any of the bands we 

 have noticed above. Naivailie, again, is only 7 miles from the Cauvery, 

 down which river the stone could be carried in boats to Trichinopoly or 

 into the Tanjore district. Indeed, during the freshes in the river, the 

 stone could be loaded close to Naivailie, where the lyaur passes the 

 village. 



The beds of limestone at Culputty, although small, will prove highly 

 valuable if the line of Railway from Trichinopoly to Errode be carried 

 out, being close to the probable track of the line. 



There can be little difficulty in recognizing the limestone rock in 

 the places we have alluded to. Near Polliam, it occurs just above the sur- 

 face of the ground, in long straight bands varying from 1 to 20 yards 

 in width, of smoothly weathered light grey rock between projecting slabs, 

 and ridge-like masses of a brownish-grey gneiss. The latter is always hard 

 and gritty to the touch, while the limestone has a dull roughness ; the 

 ring from a blow of the hammer is nearly as different, being sharp in 



* The superiority of the stone-lime is chiefly in colour, and for some purposes only. 

 Much of the kunkur yields an admirable hydi-aulic luue. 

 f See Chapter on Economic Geology. 



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