Domestic Noticn : — England. 95 



putty ; or, what woulii perhaps be better, a plate of dull white earthenware 

 might be made to fit the panel, with the name painted on it, glazed and 

 burnt in, or painted and varnished, antl then made secure I)}' putty. 



Mr. Peake's (Grecian tiles for roofing cottages we have already figured 

 (Vol. VI. p. 154.); he has since greatly improved the joint-tile j and he 

 considers, that these tiles, being made from semi-metallic earth, will form 

 one of the most durable of roofs, both for small and large buildings. 



In our next Number we shall probably give figures of all the objects al- 

 luded to, with some further details ; in the mean time we consider the above 

 notice as due to Mr, Peake, for his liberality and public spirit, in having, at 

 our request, gone to a very considerable expense in preparations for the 

 manufacturing of these ai'ticles. — C'oitd. 



To be able to draw Flowers bofanicalli/, and Fruit liorticulturallij, that is, 

 with the characteristics by which varieties and subvarieties are cHstinguished, 

 is one of the most useful accomplishments of joung ladies of leisure, living 

 in the country. It is due to Mrs. Withers of Grove Terrace, Lisson 

 Grove, to state that her talents for teaching these objects ar^ of the highest 

 order, as many of the plates in the Transactions of Ihc Horticidtnral Socicti/ 

 and the Ponwlvgical Magazine abundantly show. We have observed, with 

 no small pride and pleasure, that several of our principal nurserymen, not 

 only about London, but in the country', have brought, or are bringing, for- 

 ward their daughters, so as to be competent to make scientific portraits, 

 not only of fruits and flowers, but of trees and shrubs, in their diiFerent 

 stages of growth. When once a system of education is formed which shall 

 embrace all modern improvements, and when that system shall be univer- 

 sally applied, the drawing and making portraits of all, or of any objects 

 whatever, will be as general an accomplishment as penmanship is now. To 

 all themechanical trades, drawing is perhaps of more use than either writing 

 or arithmetic. It is of immense use to a gardener ; and we hope no young 

 reader will neglect its acquii'ement. He may do it by continually copying 

 the cuts in this Magazine, or Plate 1. of Iltiistrations. — Cond. 



The Botany of various Parts of North America being very imperfectly 

 known, we learn with pleasure from Mr. William Christy, jun., that " Dr. 

 Hooker and others are going to subscribe and send out Mr. Drumniond 

 to New Orleans ; whence, on the approach of summer, he will ascend 

 the river, and get into the country bordering on Mexico or California, 

 which is expected to prove a most interesting field. Mr. Drunimond will 

 send home dried specimens, roots, and seeds, and also birds and insects, to 

 the various subscribers, according to their wishes, and the amount of the 

 sums they advance, and afterwards collect for sale on his own accoimt." 

 We hope the expedition will prove successful. — Cond. Dec.i. 1830. 



An adventure similar to the above, although not so well advised, was 

 embarked in by a very enterprising young man, Mr. Thomas Bridges of 

 Wroxham, Norfolk, about two years ago. Fired by the successes of other 

 collectors, and strongly desiring to visit foreign countries, he solicited some 

 gentlemen, to whom he was known, to make the advances necessary to send 

 him out. This they did ; and, after a boisterous passage of nineteen weeks 

 and five days, he landed at Valparaiso. Since his arrival he has sent home 

 birds, insects, plants, and seeds. The late Robert Barclay, Esq., Bury 

 Hill, was one patron, to whom birds and plants, both of considerable inte- 

 rest, were sent. Another patron is the Rev. Geo. Reading Leathes, Shrop- 

 ham Hall, Norfolk, who has received seeds ; and a third patron is Robert 

 Bevan, Esq., Rougham, Suffolk, who has received seeds and insects, if not 

 also birds. This last gentleman has submitted the insects to the cogni- 

 zance of the distinguished Rev. William Kirby, who finds some perfect 

 novelties among them, which he has already described, if not published ; 

 and the seeds Mr. Bevan has intrusted to the skilful cultivation of Mr. 

 Knight, of the Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, where several are at this time 



