building stones

Discusses such aspects of stone as geological formation, the Stone Age, quarrying, shaping, and past and present uses.

John Tommy Fiddich's vegetable garden is wiped out by hail, leaving nothing but a large stone. He learns that Sir Henry M. Pellatt will pay one silver dollar for each dull colored stone accepted for building his castle wall. The effort involved in moving it makes the stone worth a lot to him, and eventually to Sir Henry as well.

Profiles over three hundred rare, common, ancient, and modern varieties of decorative stone, arranged by geologic type, color, and markings, providing color photos and describing their geology, quarry sources, past and present uses, and historical associations.

A step-by-step description of preparing rock for building from digging it out of the ground to the final polishing.

Explains what pebbles are, examines their physical properties, and looks at how pebbles are used.