Note 38 — PETER KALM’s TRAVELS. (continued 3)

The steep banks consist of the red limestone, which I have before described. It is here plainly visible that the strata are not horizontal, but considerably dipping, especially towards the south. The weather and the air has in a great measure dissolved the stone here: I enquired, whether it could not be made use of, but was assured, that in building houses it was entirely useless; for, though it is hard and permanent under ground, yet on being dug out, and exposed for some time to the air, it first crumbles into greater, then into lesser pieces, and at last is converted into dust. An inhabitant of this town, however tried to build a house with this sort of stone, but its outsides being exposed to the air, soon began to change so much, that the owner was obliged to put boards all over the wall, to preserve it from falling to pieces. The people however pretend that this stone is a very good manure, if it is scattered upon the corn-fields in its rubbish state, for it is said to stifle the weeds: it is therefore made use of both on the fields and in gardens.38