Cement Casting at “ Aldie ” 
tion of the thing imitated. In America 
the uses of cement are daily extending, and 
it is difficult to say how much more rapidly 
they would do so if satisfactory variation 
of color and texture were practicable with¬ 
out impairing cohesiveness and consequent 
strength. 
The addition of a variety of coloring pig¬ 
ments to cement and an accompanying control 
of the texture of the finished object made of 
newly made in beautiful colors would indeed 
loose an artist’s mind to flights of fancy, and 
those who have searched for inexpensive 
garden jars and flower boxes would be glad 
to accompany it. 
All the newer work has been placed in 
the open air, but the first things made, in 
which Mr. Mercer did not venture away 
from using the pure cement of natural color, 
were intended to serve as fountain pieces. 
it Mr. William Mercer claims to have satis¬ 
factorily accomplished. The claim is just if 
we permit ourselves to judge by the work 
he has done in reproducing foreign antiques 
and placing them in exposed outdoor posi¬ 
tions at “Aldie.” They appear in the accom¬ 
panying illustrations in such a manner as to 
show the relation of the object to its con¬ 
tents and surroundings. Were it possible 
to reproduce their color, these antique forms 
One of these has occupied for several years 
a moist but majestic seat of honor in the 
grotto of the conservatory. Another of 
later date braves successive dryings and 
wettings in a large pool on the lawn. 
There is nothing distinctive in the material 
of which these pieces are made, but the next 
work turned out exhibits in a sun-dial stan¬ 
dard the excellent “ porous ” texture and 
soft color at which Mr. Mercer has arrived. 
178 
