394 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



the panels in this way as much as possible, without 

 rubbing through the varnish. The body colour some- 

 times requires to be laid with varnish alone, and 

 sometimes it is necessary to mix a little of the colour 

 with the two or three first coats of varnish. To 

 produce a better black, the upper quarters, roof, and 

 back of the body are done with japan in place of 

 varnish, immediately after the colour ; and to render 

 it capable of being polished, one or two coats of 

 varnish are put above the japan. When armorial 

 bearings or letters are to be painted upon the panels, 

 the proper time is betwixt the first and second, or 

 sometimes betwixt the second and third coats of 

 varnish, after which such a number of coats ought 

 to follow as will render the whole panels smooth over 

 the arms, crests, or letters. 



Panels ought not to be polished sooner than a 

 month after the last coat of varnish is given them, and 

 if the carriage is used during that time, or even for a 

 longer period, before polishing, so much the better, 

 the varnish by exposure to the atmosphere acquiring 

 a harder consistency, and consequently becoming more 

 susceptible of a fine polish. 



The first operation in polishing is to rub down the 

 panels as before described, with very fine pulverised 

 pumice-stone and water, then after with purified rotten- 

 stone, and afterwards by constant rubbing with the 

 palm of the hand, using a small portion of dry rotten- 

 stone to remove the gumminess off the skin. When 

 by these means the panels are brought to a good 

 polish, a little flour and sweet oil rubbed over gives 

 a smoothness to the whole, and finishes the work. 



In painting carriages, there is nothing particularly 

 worthy of remark. The painter's chief care is to 



