General Notices. 



309 



beauty of the workmanship, the sharpness of the foliage, and the durability 

 of the material. We are very desirous of seeing classical statues, such -as 

 those of Pomona, Flora, Ceres, Apollo, Diana, &c, executed in similar ma- 

 terials, so as to be sold at moderate prices. If any potter in the country can 

 effect this it is Mr. Peake. — CW/, 



A grooved-bottomed Flower-pot (Jig. 70.) has been invented by Antonio 

 7q Piccioli, curator of the bo- 



tanic garden at Florence. 

 The object is to allow the 

 free escape of the water from 

 the hole in the bottom of 

 the pot, which, when pots 

 are set either on smooth 

 hard surfaces, or soft moist 

 surfaces, does not take place. 

 JThe improvement may be worth adoption in very large pots, but would be 

 ineffective in all the smaller sizes.] Carnations, and other delicate plants, 

 in Florence, Milan, and other towns in Italy, are set on saucers, on small 

 pedestals (Jig. 71.) so as to be surrounded by water. [These saucers 



liave been used by Madocks and others in this country, but they are not 

 common.] — J. A. Llanbeden Hall, Jidy 29. 1829. 



Edging-Tiles of Mr. Allardyce. (p. 128.) — Mr. Massie, one of the secre- 

 taries of the Aberdeen Horticultural Society, has been so good as to send us 

 one of these tiles or bricks, which is 8| in. long, 4f wide, 1|- thic k, compact, 

 heavy, of uniform surface, and not in the slightest degree twisted. Price, 

 delivered in Aberdeen, 50*. per 1000 ; delivered in London, 65s. per thou- 

 sand. Mr. Massie observes that " they look exceedingly neat when well 

 laid, and have the advantage of not affording a lodgment for snails and 

 earwigs, which the box edging invariably does." We admit the truth of 

 what is said respecting harbouring insects, but still we cannot altogether 

 reconcile ourselves to a brick, stone, or wooden edging. An edging of box 

 is particularly beautiful in winter and spring from its deep green, when every 

 thing else is brown. To feel the full influence of box edgings at these sea- 

 sons one ought to have visited the kitchen-gardens of Holland and Germany, 

 in which box is little used, and edgings either omitted, or stone, wood, or 

 other material, used. One may know something of the difference between 

 box and the want of it by looking into the garden of the " inestimable 

 Institution," as Dr. Hooker calls it (p. 70.), during winter or spring, which, 

 from the want of box or any green edging in most of the departments, must 

 be allowed to be uncommonly dulL It may be replied that a kitchen-gar- 

 den is formed for utility, and not for ornament ; but every one knows that 

 the kitchen-garden in the early part of spring is the most interesting scene in 

 a country residence, and more frequented by the family, and especially the 

 females and then" little children, than any other. 



In cases of very small gardens in or near towns, if we were to dispense 

 with box and gravel, we would employ pavement supported by piers 2 or 

 3 in. above the surface, but so as to be an inch or two under the level of 

 the adjoining borders, as already described Vol. V. p. 593. 



Mr. Allardyce's bricks, or bricks somewhat thicker, but of similar mate- 

 rial and texture, would answer well for numbering or naming tallies for 

 plants and trees. The number or name might either be painted on them, 



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