Number 3 - Geological Curators Group

Pickford to ensure that the collectionsreceive proper care and are appropriatelypromoted and used, as far as possible.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI am delighted to be able to report thissplendid news for the Bath ColleCti~nS,especially in the light of Mr Pickford's hardwork on them over the years, and I amgrateful to Mr D. Liddle (Director ofCommunity Leisure. County of Avon) and Mr S.Locke (Executive Director, Area MuseumCouncil for the South West) for permission topublish this article.Michael A. TaylorArea Museum Council for the South-WestCity of Bristol Museum & Art GalleryQueen's Road. Bristol BSB 1RLTypescript received 1 May 1985POET'S CORNERTony Cross (Curtis Museum, Hampshire CountyMuseum Service) sends the following from- A Geological Primer in Verse (1820).GEOLOGICAL COOKERYTo make GraniteOf Felspar and Quartz a large quantity take,Then pepper with Mica, and mix up and bake.This Granite for common occasions is good;But, on Saint-days and Sundays, be it understood,If with bishops and lords in the state-roomyou dine,Then sprinkle with Topaz, or else Tourmaline.N.B. The proportion of the ingredients maybe varied ad libitum; - it will keep a longtime.To make PorphyryLet Silex and Argil be well kneaded down;Then colour at pleasure, red, grey, green,or brown:When the paste is all ready, stick in hereand thereSmall crvstals of Felspar, both oblong andTo make Pudding-stoneTo vary your dishes, and shun any waste,Should you have any left of the very samepaste.You may make a plum-pudding; but then do notstintThe quantum of Pebbles - Chert, Jasper, orFlint.To make Amy~daloidTake a mountain of wacke2, somewhat softishand green,In which bladder-shaped holes may be everywhere seen;Choose a part where these holes are decidedlyvoid all,Pour Silex in these, to form Agatesspheroidal,And the mass in a trice will be Amygdaloidal.To make a good Brsccia witha Calcareous CementBreak your rocks in sharp fragments,Dreservine the at~eles;Of ~ & or a QUG~Z you &ay add a fewspangles;Then let your white hatter be well filter'dthrough,Till the parts stick as firm as iP fasten'dby glue.To make a coarser BrecoiaFor a Breccia more coarse you may vary yourmatter;Pound Clay, Quartz, and Iron-stone, moisten'dwith water:Pour these on your fragments, - and then waitawhile,Till the Oxyd of Iron is red as a tile.his is the old-fashioned receipt for'waclre is generally greenish, and rathermaking Porphyry. used by our grandmothers: unctuous to the touch. This rock must not beVG. they made the paste first, and stuck in confounded with Grey Wacck.the Felspar afterwards. This method is easyand plain: but in the most approved modernreceipts, the ingredients are all mixedtogether at first, and the Felspar is left tocrystallize while the paste is hardening.