FLOOR COVERINGS. 77 



once and for all, and in the long run proves more economical than even staining or painting. It is, as 

 well, quite possible to apply it to staircases, but a solid oak nosing must be inset, so that the parquetry 

 has something to step against. Where it is applied to old floors, all traces of any varnish or paint must 

 be planed off, so that the glue may obtain a good key. As an example of its cost, assuming that it was 

 desired to parquet a three-feet border round a dining-room twenty feet long by fifteen feet wide, this 

 would mean that there would be one hundred and seventy-four feet super, which at eightpence-halfpenny 

 per foot, if plain herring-bone pattern were used, would cost six pounds three shillings and threepence, 

 with some small extra charges over this for cutting round the hearth and doors, and for a border if one 

 were desired. This, of course, is quite the cheapest type there is, aud prices run up to fifty shillings a foot 

 for the more intricate patterns. 



So far as linoleum is concerned, there has of late been a distinct improvement, and the plain- 

 coloured cork carpets may be instanced as being very useful floor coverings, gaining innnen^elv irom the 

 fact that they do not pretend to be other than they are. Just as in the early days railways were like 

 stage-coaches, and then motor-cars at first like the latter, so oilcloth has had to pass through a preliminary 

 stage, when it pretended to be either tiles, parquetry or most gorgeous Brussels carpet. This is most 

 extraordinary, because never was there a material with fewer limitations, so far as its manufacture is 

 concerned. Ill carpets the designer has to recognise that the knot of wool makes it in reality a mosaic 

 of small woollen squares ; in tiles the difficulties of baking go against very intricate shapes, which may 

 twist or crack in the process. With linoleum one cannot but feel that, if the makers had in the tirst place 

 founded their designs on the principles of enamels, filled with separate cloisons, they would have been on 

 safer lines, and the craft would have gained in interest and have developed characteristics of its own 

 instead of having entered into a variety of other disguises. Certainly whenever pattern is applied tin- 

 colours of the same should go right through the fabric of the linoleum, or signs of wear will speedily ;q&amp;gt;peai 

 if it is only a surface decoration. Another point to be remembered is that it is very unsale to put down 

 linoleum on to a new floor and close cut it all round the skirting ; some space should be lett lor ventilation, 

 and many cases of dry rot in buildings have been traced to a neglect of this piecaution. Linoleum, 

 then, has a great future before it. It is cheap and very hygienic, in that it can be easily washed ( ork 

 carpets are nice to walk about on, and infants can sit on them without chilly discomfort resulting. But 

 a lot remains to be clone when we come to the patterned sorts, and salvation here seems to hi- in forgetting 

 as speedily as possible that there are such materials as carpets, tiles, or parquetry. To use material 

 aright is the keynote of all successful work, and this is not attained by trying to make one thiny l&amp;lt;&amp;gt;&amp;lt;&amp;gt;k like 

 another. C. II. B. OUEXXEl i . 



