194 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



material possessing the colour and mechanical texture of stone, but 

 also of producing it in endless variety of embellit>hment, the articles 

 produced being as strikingly characterized by elegance and appro- 

 priateness of design as by the hardness and imperishability of the 

 material. During our inspection of the process, we learned that the 

 ''Patent imperishable siliceous stone," which has long been considered 

 the brightest textured and most perfect imitation of stone hitherto 

 produced, is now quite superseded by the " Patent concrete stone,'* 

 which is so much cheaper than all other kinds, that there can be 

 little doubt it will-very soon be universally employed, not only in 

 gardens for vases, fountains, edgings, and balustrades, but also by 

 builders for cornices, facings, and wherever a cheap imitation of 

 stone would be preferred to brick or plaster. Mr. Ransome's new 

 discovery is, no doubt, the result of the diflSculties that attended 

 the manufacture of his siliceous stone, and an illustration, therefore, 

 of the adage, "Necessity is the mother of invention!" The old 

 process consisted in working up a mass of siliceous grit into the 

 required form, and then injecting into it a eolution of caustic alkali. 

 The mass was then subjected to heat, and a sort of glassy cement 

 was produced throughout, which not only gave the mass its co- 

 herence, but also that bright, half-sparkling character by which it 

 differs in appearance from every other kind of artificial stone. The 

 process was tedious, though the result was admirable ; a beautiful 

 material was produced, but the inventor was dissatisfied with his 

 method, and commenced a series of experiments with a view to 

 abolish, if possible, the employment of heat in the manufacture, 

 without sacrificing any of the good qualities of the original com- 

 pound. His success has more than justified the cost and labour 

 incurred in the discovery of the new method of manufacturing stone. 

 The first process consists in compounding together sand, stone-dust, 

 and silicate of soda, the last-named material being in the form of a 

 viscous fluid. The mixture is placed in the moulds, and is then 

 saturated with chloride of calcium, and the whole mass is at once 

 solidified and cemented together — as effectually solidified and 

 cemented as in the recently-introduced mixture of hard rubbish with 

 Portland cement, which is coming into use for the constrrction of 

 cheap, waterproof, indestructible walls. The Patent Concrete Stone, 

 thus produced in the first instance, is of a close granular texture and 

 a clear grey colour ; it has, in fact, all the appearance of a good white 

 marble. It is, however, at first somewhat soft, so that when new it 

 would not be fair to put it to a severe test, with a view to ascertain 

 its strength ; but it is always improving with age, and eventually 

 becomes as hard as flint through the action of the atmosphere, which 

 converts the chloride of calcium into a silicate of lime, rendering 

 it more and more valuable the older it becomes. 



Although we learnt these particulars during our visit to the 

 manufactory a few days since, we were not then, for the first time, 

 made acquainted with the properties of the patent concrete stone. 

 In the year 1863, when Mr. Ransome first discovered the new process, 

 he prepared for us a handsome moulding for the front court of the 

 experimental garden at Stoke Newdngton, and this moulding is at 



