Practical Hints. 79 
chlorine, or cynanogen in solution, for which alcohol or petroleum 
is employed. 
Beautiful Imitations of Mosaics.—Have one side of plate glass 
roughened, or given a crystallised surface, on which trace a design 
in suitable opaque colours to represent the seams between the 
pleces composing the mosaic. Fill in a portion with transparent 
colours, then cover the whole surface with gold-leaf, with a backing 
of white and red lead, patent drier, and Japan gold-size, or any 
material which will protect the gold, such as amber dissolved in 
spirit of turpentine. The effect will be most realistic. 
French Furniture-Polish Reviver.—Beat gum acacia and the 
white of two eggs in a mortar until they amalgamate; then add 
half-a-pint each of raw linseed oil and best vinegar, eight ounces 
of methylated spirit of wine, one ounce of hydrochloric acid, and 
two ounces of muriate of antimony. They are to be rubbed on 
the surface of the furniture till dry, and will give a brilliant and 
lasting polish. 
Darkening the Natural Hue of Wood.—This is effected by a 
solution composed of- equal parts of manganate of soda and crys- 
tallised Epsom silts, dissolved in twenty to thirty times the 
amount of water, at about 144 deg. The less water employed the 
darker will be the hue. 
Wax Paintings for Walls and Ceilings.—The following is the 
latest improved style ; it is also the most practical. The vehicle 
used consists of wax and resin, dissolved in spirit of turpentine. 
The mixture is fluid and of the colour of milk. In this the 
colours are ground, and are then preserved in small glasses, and 
spirit of turpentine is poured on them to preserve them. They 
are closed with a cushion of leather, having a button for a handle. 
Nearly all colours may be used indiscriminately. Prussian blue 
and orpiment are notable exceptions as wanting. For the ground 
the wall or ceiling is plastered in the usual way with lime, not 
smoothly, but so as to have a kind of grain or tooth. The paint- 
ing is executed on the wall when dry without other preparation. 
When working, the colours are diluted with spirit of turpentine. 
The method requires expedition, as the colours dry fast. These 
colours have a semi-translucent hue. 
Varnishing Fretwork.—Use white, hard spirit-varnish; it 
requires no size. The application is to be made in a warm room, 
or fill in the grain of the wood with glue size and varnish with 
brown, hard varnish. 
To Coat Furniture with a Gloss White.—To make a smooth, 
solid surface of gloss white, without the least appearance of the 
grain of the wood, give the wood a priming coat of white lead, 
mixed with oil of turpentine and a little japan. When this is dry, 
