134 
THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
Fig. 2.— GROTESQUE DE- 
SIGN FOR KNOB OF 
WALKING-CANE. 
of this paper may feel inclined to make 
walking-sticks for themselves, I have 
given two grotesque designs, which may 
be carved on the heads of either walking- 
sticks or umbrellas. 
Fig. 2 is a suitable 
design for an ordi- 
nary knob, and Fig. 
3 will suit a half- 
crutch admirably. 
If the reader does 
not care to go to the 
trouble of preparing 
a cane, he can easily 
buy one that will 
suit his purpose at a 
cheap rate. In carv- 
ing heads or similar 
objects on sticks, it 
is always better to 
rely entirely on the 
grotesque for de- 
signs ; and it will be 
an agreeable sur- 
prise to the amateur 
to find how easily 
these grotesque heads can be cut on a 
stick. 
The principal thing to avoid is all sharp 
points, which are liable either to hurt the 
hand or tear the glove; and the design 
should in every case be adapted to the 
size and shape of the knob. In carving 
these heads a vise or bench-screw of some 
kind will be required to hold the work 
firmly whilst being operated upon, and 
then the same process is gone through as 
with all other descriptions of carvings; 
first of all, draw roughly the design on 
the knob, then block out, and finally 
finish off the work, adding any fancy 
touches that may be deemed advisable to 
give effect to the design. It is a frequent 
praclice with carvers to roughly model 
the design in clay before commencing to 
carve it in the wood, or if clay is not at 
hand, to chop in roughly the design in a 
piece of soft wood, so as to see the effect 
the design will really have in the wood 
when worked out. 
In finishing off the work, outlines fre- 
quently have to be rectified, and altera- 
tions made, that are not noticed as being- 
defective when the work is blocked out. 
When setting in the outlines of a panel, 
for instance, it is better to avoid cutting 
in too deeply, otherwise the groundwork 
presents a surface defaced with tool marks 
after the outlines have been corrected, 
and it is not always easy to efface these 
marks, even when the ground is punched. 
In shaping a design, however, it is a good 
Fig. 3.— GROTESQUE DESIGN FOR HALF-CRUTCH 
WALKING-CANE. 
plan to use the tools boldly and cut clean ; 
instead of which, many beginners will 
make a dozen cuts where one would suf- 
fice. 
Before closing these papers I will give 
designs and instructions for delicate carv- 
ing in ebony, and will also give direc- 
tions and designs for the now almost uni- 
versal incised work. 
Poisonous Plants. 
BY A. W. ROBERTS. 
OIBON ivy, poison oak, poison 
mercury vine, poison swamp 
sumac, poison dogwood, and 
poison elder! 
Are these not terrible names and vil- 
lainous reputations to give to two of 
the most beautiful inhabitants of our 
woods, meadows and he jges ? But though 
no one would suspect this poison ivy, oak 
or mercury vine, as it is called, that 
climbs up leafless tree-trunks, unsightly 
stone walls, rocks or fence-posts, of con- 
taining within its oiieerful bright green 
