[ 45 « ] 
VIII. A Letter from Mr. John Hill, Apothe- 
cary > to the Prelident, concerning Windfor 
Loam, 
Read March 19. A N Accident calling me Yefterday to 
174 " 7 JLJL Hedgerley, the Place where there 
is dug an Earth commonly call'd Windfor Loam, 
and famous not only in England , but many othe.r 
Parts of the World, I took an Opportunity of going 
to the Pits, and informing myfelf of the prefent 
Condition of them : And as there appears too mueh 
Probability that this Earth will be exhaufted, and 
loft intirely to the World, in a few Years, I pre- 
fume it may not unacceptable to you to have an 
Account of the Pits of it, and whatever elfe relates 
to it, taken on the Spot 5 which I here do myfelf 
the Honour of communicating to you, and fhall take 
the Liberty of adding to it what has fince occurred 
to my Thoughts in regard to the fupplying its Place 
when loft, in the many different Occafions on which 
it is now us’d. 
This Earth itfelf is a coarfe hardi Loam, compofed 
of a very large fhining Sand, of extreme Hardnefs, 
and i fine foft tenacious Clay : its Value is its re- 
markable Quality of (landing the Force of the 
moft violent Fires without running to a GJaftj 
which makes it extremely ufeful to all who 
have Occafion for fuch Fires, and is the Reafon 
of its being fent not only into all Parts of 
England , but to Holland \ Germany , and many other 
Parts of the World, It is ufed for making the 
Bricks 
