* * 
sms 
The Summer-House. 
329 
windows of the other designs. It will be seen that the spaces above and 
below the windows and doors are filled up with a lattice-work of rough 
branches. These must, of course, be selected with an eye to their fitness for 
the position to be occupied. If they can be chosen to the form of Fig. 3 
p. 326, and chamfered at the ends as shown in this figure, they may be easily 
laid across each other and nailed in position. Some irregularity in the 
disposition of these external decorations will, however, have a pleasing rustic 
effect. 
If the house has been built of sawn wood, the fronts of the pillars may 
be disguised by bits of virgin cork nailed to them, or split branches of wood 
may be nailed on with the rounded sides outward. The roof may 
be lined with match-board, and then stained and varnished to match 
the back and sides. This will give the whole a very neat and comfortable 
appearance, and have the advantage of securing this retreat from the intru¬ 
sion of noxious insects, which are such a terror to ladies. 
If the match-board is new, it may not be necessary to use a stain for it 
before varnishing, as the varnish may be found dark enough to suit the taste 
of the owner. If the wood has been stained by exposure to weather, it will be 
advisable to alter the weather stains by others of a more agreeable character. 
This may be done by an application of one of Stephens’ rosewood stains, or a 
substitute may be provided by boiling barberry roots and a scrap of camwood 
in water, and brushing the wood with the hot liquor. If the stain is not red 
enough add more camwood. The barberry root stain will be a deep bright 
yellow. A similar yellow stain may be obtained by using turmeric instead of 
barberry. Before we apply the stain, however, the wood should be prepared 
by stopping all cracks and nail-holes with plaster of Paris, coloured with a 
little turmeric, or made into a paste with the barberry liquor. Only a large 
spoonful of plaster should be made into paste at a time, as it soon sets hard. 
The stain should be briskly applied with a soft hair brush, then the wood 
must be left to dry before it is sized. The next operation is sizing—that is, 
coating the wood with a solution made of 1 lb. of size dissolved in one gallon 
of boiling water, and applied hot with a soft brush. Brush the wood with the 
grain, not across it, and let the strokes be in one direction only. If rubbed 
to and fro the size may lather, and it will then be impossible to get a smooth 
surface for the varnish. Two coats of size should be given if the wood is at 
all porous, as the size will fill the pores and prevent them taking in a 
large quantity of varnish. The varnish to be used is fine oak varnish, costing 
2. u. 
■(. 
