$12 SPONGES 
When covered, the mould is set one side to cool, 
which is arather slow process, varying greatly with the 
surrounding temperature. When thoroughly cold and 
hard the bottom of the box is removed, cut away with a 
sharp knife ; the sponge may now be pulled forcibly out of 
the mould, for it yields suffictently to enable this to be done 
quite readily. 
The mould is now wiped carefully out, or in case of 
delicate sponges, which have long filaments, the water 
that remains is shaken out, the cream plaster poured in 
and allowed to harden, which will occur in about a half an 
hour. The wax mould containing its cast 1s now placed in 
the melting kettle, over a fire and the wax heated until it 
boils, when the cast can be removed, 
The cast 1s colored from another specimen of the 
same species of sponge, or from acolored drawing of the 
original of the cast, but oil colors must be used, as the cast 
has absorbed wax, which will not take water colors readily. 
The casts which | have made in this way have been ex- 
ceedingly satisfactory. Duplicates are made with the regu- 
lene clue and glycerine moulds, 
