86 



GARDEN WALLS. 



Fig. 76. 



of bricks of the same length and thick- 

 ness, but of only half the width of the 

 common bricks, by which means they can 

 be 'worked fair' on both sides. These are 

 Fig> 75> laid side by 



side as in 



^Or~~ i n || a | fig. 75, in 

 & j | "'"[ | li ~j which a re- 



pr esents 



the first course, and b the second course. 

 The bond, or tying together of both sides 

 of the wall, is not obtained by laying 

 bricks across, (technically headers,) but 

 by the full-breadth bricks covering half 

 the breadth of the broad bricks, 

 when laid over the narrow ones, 

 as shown at b, and in the vertical 

 section, fig. 76. Besides the ad- 

 vantage of being built fair on 

 both sides, there being no headers, 

 or through-and-through bricks, in 

 these walls, the rain is never 

 conducted through them, and 

 the inside of the walls is con- 

 sequently drier than the inside of a wall 

 9 inches in thickness. The only draw- 

 back that we know against them is, that 

 the narrow or half-breadth bricks must 

 be made on purpose." 



Since the restriction has been taken 

 off brickmakers as to size, by the abo- 

 lition of the duty, bricks may be made 

 of any form or capacity we please ; there- 

 fore some of the ingenious contrivances 

 we have stated may shortly become ob- 

 solete, and bricks yet be made of a size 

 to imitate stone ashlar, and perforated 

 or hollowed out to admit of heating, 

 and lessening the weight upon the foun- 

 dations. We have, indeed, already an ex- 

 ample of a large house in Edinburgh built 

 of fire-clay bricks, which at the distance 

 of only a few yards may readily be mis- 

 taken for a polished ashlar building. The 

 stone sills, lintels, and rebates of the doors 

 and windows are all of the same material. 



Amongst the latest improvements in 

 brickmaking, we may notice Roberts' 

 patent hollow bricks, employed in the 

 construction of his Royal Highness 

 Prince Albert's, model houses, erected in 

 Hyde Park. By the form adopted by 

 Mr Roberts, a perfect bond, running 

 longitudinally through the centre of the 

 wall, is secured ; all headers and verti- 

 cal joints passing through it are avoided; 

 internal as well as external strength is 



obtained; whilst, by the parallel longi- 

 tudinal cavities, ample security for dry- 

 ness is afforded, and great facility pre- 

 sented for ventilation, as well as for the 

 conveyance of artificial heat. The saving 

 effected by the use of these bricks, when 

 made at a fair price, is stated in the 

 "Builder" to be from twenty-five to thirty 

 per cent on their cost, with a reduction 

 of twenty-five per cent on the quantity of 

 mortar, and a similar saving on the la- 

 bour, when done by workmen accustomed 

 to them. On making inquiry, we learn 

 that the cost of these bricks, delivered in 

 London, is nearly £9 per thousand. If 

 such is the case, we cannot see how the 

 saving above stated is made out. 



Flued walls, fig. 77, have been long in 

 use, but are now superseded by the use 



Fig. 77. 



of hot water. The disadvantages of flued 

 walls are, that the heat is not equally dis- 

 tributed — those parts nearest the furnace 

 being too hot, while those most remote 

 from it are not heated at all ; the soot 

 accumulates in them, and is not easily 

 removed; and, beyond either of these 

 objections, an ordinary furnace will heat 

 only something like 400 square feet, or 

 40 feet in length of a wall 10 feet high, 

 while the same amount of fuel will heat 

 nearly as well 3000 square feet, or 300 

 feet in length of a 10-foot wall, if hot 

 water is employed. In such a case the 

 boiler should be placed under the mid- 

 dle of the wall, and the circulation be 

 carried on to the right hand, and also 

 to the left, 150 feet each way. Were 

 it possible to circulate heated air, un- 

 accompanied with smoke, with a force 

 sufficient for it to travel at the same rate 

 as hot water, there would be advan- 

 tages attending flued walls, such as they 

 have hitherto not possessed. In the 

 present state of horticultural improve- 

 ment, we do not think that flued walls 

 will in future be attempted further than 



