HINTS ON MAKING ROCK-WORK. 157 



CHAPTEE XXVIII. 



HINTS ON MAKING ROCK-WORK. 



With taste and ingenuity, many varieties of rock-work 

 can be made to closely resemble natural specimens. Dif- 

 ferent materials are necessary for each kind of rock, and, 

 in using them, much depends on the outlines and general 

 form. The rocks should be sharp, irregular, and built up 

 about one-third the hight of a case. A shelving one in 

 the fore-ground, backed by an irregular rocky wall, has a 

 natural and pleasing effect where combination of color has 

 been closely studied. Light-colored birds should be 

 placed on dark rocks, and "vice versa." All rock-work 

 for cases should be made on a false bottom, as by this 

 means it is readily handled, and can be completed before 

 it is made stationary. 



PEAT ROCK-WORK. 



There is no better material than peat for making large 

 rocks. That taken from fresh swamps, is the most sub- 

 stantial and the lightest, but ordinary marsh-peat from salt 

 meadows will answer every purpose. It should be thor- 

 oughly soaked in fresh water to remove the salt, and well 

 dried, as salt superinduces dampness and mould. The peat 

 should be cut in suitable pieces, and nailed in position 

 with pointed wires. Securely fasten the first layer, and 

 then fasten the upper pieces by driving long wires through 

 the whole into the wooden bottom. 



When the rocks are thus roughly formed, trim them into 

 shape with a sharp knife, and remove all loose particles 

 with a wing of a bird or brush-broom. Give the peat and 

 board around it a heavy coat of paste, and place pieces of 

 cotton-wadding over the rock-work. It should be laid 

 closely with a brush and plenty of paste. For snow scenes 



