MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 373 



am confident that it needs but a single trial to convince of its 

 great efficacy. 



" Yery truly, &c. &c. &c." 



Another : — 



"For new boots, half a pound of beeswax, one-quarter pound 

 of resin, and the like quantity of mutton suet or tallow ; boil 

 them together, and anoint the boots well with the preparation 

 lukewarm. If the boots have been used, beef suet to be substi- 

 tuted instead of mutton." 



Mr. Chandler informs me that he has his shooting-boots made 

 straights — that is, not right and left — and finds them to wear 

 longer, and are far less liable to run over, as they can be changed 

 from one foot to the other as soon as they show a disposition to 

 run either to the right or left. The idea is an excellent one, 

 and we are somewhat surprised that we never adopted the plan, 

 particularly as we have had so much trouble with our boots in 

 this one particular. 



Another : — 



" A pint of boiled neatsfoot oil ; 

 Half a pound of mutton suet ; 

 Six ounces of beeswax ; 

 Four ounces of resin. 



" These are to be melted together over a slow fire, as both 

 the upper-leather and soles of the boots and shoes, when quite 

 new and clean, are warmed and rubbed with this composition 

 till the leather is saturated." 



Another : — 



"^ A pint of boiled linseed oil ; 

 Beeswax, one ounce ; 

 Burgundy pitch, half an ounce ; 

 Spirit of turpentine, two ounces. 



"Melt the first three ingredients in an earthen pot, then add 

 the turpentine ; to be rubbed in when the leather is tolerably 

 dry, before the fire." 



