392 Transactions of the American Institute. 



thin strips of wood, from two to three inches wide and about half 

 an inch thick; halve the corners together, glue them, and secure 

 the corners with small brads. 



It will be understood that the inside corners of frames must be 

 rabbeted out for receiving glass of a given size; and when they are 

 made of pasteboard, two thicknesses, narroAver than the rest, must 

 be glued to the back side. 



When it is not desirable to have such frames of the color of the 

 wood, black cambric is pasted over the wood, and when it is dry 

 the cones are glued on it. Such frames may also be covered with 

 any other material similar to cambric. Many kinds of wall paper 

 can be used for such purpose^ or the material used for border could 

 be used if desirable. For covering frames with such materials, 

 paste is better than glue, as it will dry sooner. But when frames 

 are to be left of the color of the wood, such portions of the frame 

 as are not covered with cones may be varnished the last thing. If 

 a frame is made of pine, for example, after the cones have all been 

 put on, let the parts which ai'e not covered Avith cones be oiled with 

 boiled linseed oil, and afterwards varnished, and the color will be 

 a bright straw color. Frames should not be painted nor varnished 

 imtil the cones are glued on them, as glue will not adhere well to 

 paint nor to varnish. If the moisture is not all dried out of the 

 cones before they are used, they will shrink and make the work 

 look badly. When putting the cones on, place the frame on the 

 table in a warm room — as glue will not dry well in a cold room — 

 and, with a sharp pocket-knife, cut off the large end of the cones, 

 so that they will stand erect. Dip the ends in glue, and place them 

 around on the frame to suit the fancy. A large one may be placed 

 at each corner, and smaller ones in rows or in clusters, or in any 

 desired manner. Acorns, chestnuts, buckeyes, horse-chestnuts, and 

 even beechnuts and apple seeds, may be worked in with good taste. 

 When the face of the frame is finished and the glue has become 

 dry, turn it on one edge and place a row of acorns, or any other 

 kind of nuts, on the edge of the frame, and the next day glue 

 another row on the other side, and so on till the frame is finished. 

 Always use plenty of glue, and if the glue should settle down 

 around the base of a nut, or cone, it will be all the stronger for it. 

 After the glue is hard, spread two coats of varnish over cones and 

 nuts, and the frame will be ready to receive the picture. 



Almost any kind of varnish will subserve a good purpose, pro- 

 riding it is good. Demar, or white varnish, is as cheap as any fur- 



