Dr. FiTTON on the Strata below the Chalk. 141 



(50.) The rise of the Lower green-sand is here very well defined; and 

 the soil over the upper ferruginous beds of the formation is called "hazel- 

 mould/' in distinction from the "black-land" upon the gault. Immediately 

 on the south of the ridge formed by this first member of the sands, a slight 

 valley or depression, with a moist and more fertile surface, is occupied by 

 cohesive sand of a dark greenish hue and softer texture, which corresponds to 

 the middle group of Folkstone, above described, (16.) and (24.). The re- 

 tentive quality of this latter stratum, which gives a somewhat marshy cha- 

 racter to the tract in which it occurs, and the approach of its hue and texture 

 to those of clay, have deceived even experienced geologists, and given rise to 

 some mistakes respecting the lower strata of this neighbourhood. The sec- 

 tion No. 3, I believe, expresses their true order and relations. 



(51.) Fuller's-earth has been dug in this part of Surrey, beyond the memory 

 of the oldest inhabitant. At present the extraction is confined to the neigh- 

 bourhood of Nutfield. The beds come up near the top of the lowest 

 member of the green-sand, and occupy a line on the north side of a 

 ridge, which extends from the east of Nutfield nearly to Redstone Hill, 

 on the west of Copyhold Farm. About two miles west of Nutfield, nearly 

 upon the ridge, was a pit, by which the earth was extracted from a stratum 

 six to seven feet thick ; and at Colmonger's Farm another, of which the 

 section was thus : 



Fuller' s-Earth Pit, near Nutfield. 



1. Greenish sand, occupying irregular cavities on the top of the clay, 2 



2. Very tough clay (impure Fuller's-earth) with the aspect of steatite. [See 



No. 2. of the Section at Tilburstow Hill, p. 139.] 



3. Sandrock, abounding in green particles ; about 



4. A range of sandy nodules, of firmer consistence than 3 



5. Thin courses of bad Fuller's-earth | 



6. Continuous sandstone, forming the roof of the "earth-pits," and sustaining itself! 



without support to a width of 1 1 yards J 



7. Ochreous clay 



8. Fuller's-earth, of an uniform bluish colour* "j 



In this stratum, about 3 or 4 feet from the top, detached nodules are found, 

 (from six inches to nine in diameter,) of sulphate of barytes, crystallized in )> 16 

 oblique four-sided prisms, truncated at the edges and bevelled at the extre- 

 mities, semi-transparent, and of a wine-yellow colour _ 



9. White sand. 



The thickness of sand beneath, — between this stratum and the Weald clay, I did not ascertain. 



The dip of the strata above detailed is about one in fifteen : (the angle, therefore, between 5° 

 and 4°,) towards a point about 40° west of north. 



* This was sold at the pits (September 1828) at 5s. per ton. The yellowish earth of another 



