The J^atural Hijlory 
monly nfe the chippings of the Hone dug there in the Quarry, for 
improvement of the Land, and that not without apparent fuccefs : 
and yet the ftone is of a much harder kind, than this at Tetf- 
vporth and in the way to Whitfield, 
6 . Amongft fonie MSS. notes of Natural things^ I met with one 
of a ftone at Oriel College^ commonly called (fays the Author) 
Thefxveating fione^ at which the Birds were conftantly pecking 
and licking; as I guefs (if ever there were any fuch thing) for 
fome kind of faltnefs. they found come from it : I fay, if ever 
there were any fuch thing, for I find it not m this neve ^ nor re- 
mains there any tradition of it in the old College. I therefore pafs 
it by without further notice. 
7. However, in diort, all ftones have fo much y^// in them,, 
that in fome meafure they are an improvement L^ind^ for though 
itbefo clofe locked up with fulphur^ that the greatcft frofts and 
rain will not make the ftones run, yet there isftill fuch an emiffi- 
on of faline fteams, that fome earths have their wKole fertility 
from them. Thus have I feen Fields cover'd with Flints and 
Pebbles,produce better Corn than where there were none, which 
perhaps may be a better reafon than what is brought by Pliny % 
why the Foreign Coloni that came to Sjiracufe to inhabit there,and 
praftife Hufbandry ; after they had cleared the ground of all 
the ftones, could have no Corn, till they had laid them again on 
the very fame ground from whence they had taken them but juft 
before. 
8. The like maybe ohfcrved in mils and buildings, where fe- 
veral forts of vegetables^ yc^ trees of great bignefs, will thrive 
and profper remote from the earth, without any further nourifti- 
ment, than that they have from the fertile fiones^ and lime they arc 
laid with, alfo made out of ftones. 
9. If it be objefted that Pebbles znd Flints alfo hold a fulphur^ 
as well as a fah, and that in all probability Corn and other Vege- 
tables may receive their flourrftiing verdure , rather from the 
warm comfortable fteams of that, then the others of fait, I fliall 
not fo much as contend about it, but gladly accept of the oppor- 
tunity by this means to pafs from Jiones holding y^// only, to fuch 
as have alfo a mixture of fulphur, 
10. And fuch are all that withfieel, or any other fit body^ 
* Lib. ij. cap. 4, 
will 
