SCIENCE 
IS 
KNOWLEDGE. 
KNOWLEDGE 
IS 
POWER. 
A PRACTICAL JOURNAL FOR AMATEURS. 
Copyriglit Secured, 1878. 
Vol. I. 
NEW YORK, OCTOBER, 1878. 
No. 
Wood-Carving. 
HE art of carving 
wood is one that is 
very fascinating, 
and, at the same 
time, very easily 
learned. Indeed, 
many ladies have 
adopted it as a re- 
creation, and have 
thus been enabled 
to add greatly to 
the numerous arti- 
cles of vertu which 
ornament the parlor and the boudoir. Some 
branches of the art are exceedingly simple, 
requiring but a few hours and the employ- 
ment of the simplest tools, to enable even a 
beginner to turn out very respectable work. 
On the other hand, some departments of 
the same employment require for their suc- 
cessful pursuit the highest skill of the 
sculptor and the artist; and thus there is 
abundant room offered for the exercise of 
the very highest talents, while even those 
of very ordinary abilities will find no diffi- 
culty in securing that success which alone 
can confer enjoyment. In this respect, 
wood-carving differs from many merely 
routine operations, in which differences of 
skill are hardly appreciated. The most 
talented and skilful may find full scope for 
their abilities, while even the least ingeni- 
ous will find that they can actually accom- 
plish respectable work. We therefore pro- 
pose, in the following articles, to give such 
simple yet complete instructions as will en- 
able any smart boy or girl to take up the 
art, and pursue it as far as their abilities 
will allow. 
The first thing to be provided is a proper 
set of tools, and fortunately these are 
neither numerous nor expensive. Here is 
an ample list for a beginner: three chisels — 
eighth, quarter and half -inch; three flat 
gouges, do. ; three deeper gouges, do. ; three 
half-round, do.; one V, or parting tool; 
one sken, or corner-chisel; one mallet; two 
cramps for fastening the work to the table; 
one oil-stone; one slip; one brace and bit, 
for boring holes; two fine gimlets; two 
punches — one star and the other checquer; 
one tracing-point; a small glue-pot; a few 
small files; and a hammer. The cost of the 
entire outfit is but a trifle; and many of the 
tools — such, for example, as the brace and 
