October 4, 1864. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



275 



FOXLEY'S PATENT COEEUGATED BRICKS FOE GAEDEN WALLS. 



On the centre of 

 the face of each 

 brick is a stout 

 bead projecting 

 half an inch from 

 its surface ; this 

 being pierced with 

 holes at intervals 

 of about 2 inches, 

 serves by means 

 of bast, string, 

 or wire, to tie in 

 the branches of 

 trees. 



Every gardener 

 knows that walls 

 against which fruit 

 trees have been 

 trained for a long 

 series of years be- 

 come much de- 

 faced by nail holes, 

 and that repoint- 

 ing becomes ne- 

 cessary, not only 

 to allow of fresh 

 nails being driven 

 in, but to prevent 

 insects lurking in 

 the crevices ; but 

 walls erected with 

 these bricks have 

 an ornamental 

 appearance, and 

 never get defaced with nail holes; 

 the trees may be kept perfectly clean 

 and free from insects ; no nailing is 

 required, and there is, consequently, 



no dangerof bruis- 

 ing the branches ; 

 and no extra fit- 

 tings of iron, cop- 

 per, or wood trellis 

 are needed. 



The bricks are 

 made of the or- 

 dinary size, and, 

 therefore, can be 

 used in connec- 

 tion with common 

 bricks. They are 

 made either with 

 a horizontal or 

 vertical rib, but 

 the horizontal is 

 considered the 

 best for general 

 use. One thousand 

 corrugated bricks 

 are required to 

 3500 common 

 bricks. 



The smaller en- 

 graving below re- 

 presents a single 

 brick, showing the 

 mode in which the 

 projecting rib is 

 perforated. The 

 three holes at the 

 end of the brick 

 are only to make 

 the bricks lighter, burn sounder, 

 and give a firmer hold of the mor- 

 tar. We shall be glad to hear of 

 their being tried on a large scale. 



NOTES ON FLOWEE GARDENING IN 1864. 



What changes are yearly taking place in our flower gar- 

 dens ! For example, glance over a few of the many plants 

 which have been brought forward within the last eight or 

 ten years as flower garden plants. Along with many others 

 I am gradually using fewer Verbenas, and only six or eight 

 years ago we used them to more than double the extent we 

 now do. I have repeatedly stated most of the objections to 

 the Verbena being extensively used. First, the rambling 

 'habit which many Verbenas have prevents their being used 

 in ribbons, or even very often in beds, with only a margin of 

 some other colour ; secondly, there is their liability to 

 ■mildew in dull or rainy weather, and while such weather 

 lasts their often refusing to flower satisfactorily ; and, 

 thirdly, two or three of our most choice sorts have this 

 season been much affected with rust. This may, perhaps, 

 have arisen as much from the very dry and hot atmosphere 

 overhead as from dryness at the root. We managed to 

 keep their roots in a tolerable state as regards moisture by 

 watering, at least giving sufficient for them to have grown 

 much better, and no doubt they would have done so, had 

 not the atmosphere been always so very hot and dry. The 

 rust almost killed several sorts of our Verbenas before the 

 rain came. 



As respects this rust upon some of our Verbenas, I cannot 

 satisfy myself, but very probably they had been to a certain 

 extent attacked by some sort of fly, which by puncturing 

 the leaves had rendered them less able to battle against the 

 hot weather. 



I am pleased to say that my former favourite has again 

 come off victorious. Purple King has stood under all con- 

 ditions the best; all through the hot weather it was in 



splendid bloom. Blue Bonnet, Array, Mrs. Holford, Robin- 

 son's Defiance, Geant des Batailles, Miss Hamilton Nisbet, 

 and one or two other " selfs " we may still retain. How- 

 ever, none but selfs of good, distinct colours prove telling 

 and effective. We have in one or two parts of our grounds 

 to do battle against large Oak trees, and this year they have 

 done so much injury that I shall keep as much as possible 

 away from them in all future arrangements. 



I am glad to say my favourites for the flower garden, the 

 Geraniums, required less attention than almost anything 

 else ; and except in two places, where they were directly 

 under the shade of an Oak tree, they have all grown and 

 done well. Some sorts have yielded an immense quantity 

 of bloom. Tom Thumb outdid itself with me this year in 

 the amount of bloom which it produced. Stella Nosegay 

 has commanded universal admiration from all who feel an 

 interest in the flower garden. Brilliant has been indeed 

 brilliant, especially during the hot weather; Baron Hugel 

 was quite a mass of bloom ; Christine has done well, and I 

 might go very nearly over the names of all we have, and 

 give a good report of all. 



We grow about half a dozen sorts of Calceolarias, all good; 

 when used for the purposes for which they are best adapted. 

 Some are good for ribbons when planted in the second row 

 from the back ; others to form the second row from the 

 front. Next to the front row I use Aurea floribunda, and 

 oue that is not of quite so deep a yellow, but rather more 

 dwarf, having the foliage not quite so stiff and erect, nor so 

 much serrated. I am not able to give you its name, it is a> 

 very good dwarf. We use as a tall-growing one in certain 

 cases, Polyphemus, and as a yellow, Latifolia. Prince of 



