HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



results. It was an elaborate Venetian scagliola, constructed for 

 Mm by Mr. Blashfield, at the Deepdene, -which, by the admi- 

 ration it received from men of taste, attracted attention to the 

 subject, and paved the way for the greater improvements 

 wliich followed. 



Great advances both in the manufacture of the tesserse and 

 the encaustic tiles have since taken place. The latter were made 

 into forms of clay of about six inches square, into the surface 

 of which, while still in a soft state, metal dies were pressed, 

 upon which a pattern was worked in relief ; the ornament 

 being thus indented, the intaglio or indentation was filled up 

 with different coloured clays whilst in a liquid or " shp " state. 

 The tile was then baked and covered with a vitreous glaze, at 

 once enhancing and protecting the colour of the material. The 

 great difficrilty which was experienced arose from the different 

 kinds of clay not amalgamating so as to contract eqvially 

 in the oven. The Messrs. Minton took out the first patent 

 for the manufacture of these tiles ; and, by long- continued 

 perseverance and costly experiments, they at last succeeded in 

 conquering this difficulty, and producing the tiles as they are 

 now manufactured. 



The manufacture of tesserse, or the plain tiles, has also 

 struggled through many difficulties towards perfection. The 

 first improvement was to place compact and weU-manipulated 

 clay in a machine from which it was compelled by great 

 pressure to exude through a small horizontal aperture, where 

 it was cut into lengths as it appeared. The plan adopted by 

 Messrs. Minton for the manufacture of tesserse, such as those 

 in this pavement, was discovered in 1840, by Mr. Frosser, of 



