House and Garden 
POLISHING WOOD WITH CHARCOAL 
npHE method of polishing wood with 
charcoal, now much used by 
French cabinet-makers, is thus described 
in a Paris technical journal: All the 
world now knows of those articles of fur¬ 
niture of a beautiful dead black color, 
with sharp, clear-cut edges, and a 
smooth surface, the wood of which 
seems to have the density of ebony. 
Viewing them side by side with furni¬ 
ture, rendered black by paint and var¬ 
nish, the difference is so sensible that the 
considerable margin of price separating 
the two kinds explains itself. The oper¬ 
ations are much longer and more minute 
in this mode of charcoal polishing, which 
respects every detail in carving, while 
paint and varnish will clog up the holes 
and widen the ridges. In the first pro¬ 
cess they employ only carefully selected 
woods of a close and compact grain, then 
cover them with a coat of camphor dis¬ 
solved in water, and almost immediately 
afterward with another coat, composed 
chiefly of sulphate of iron and nutgall. 
The two compositions, in blending pene¬ 
trate the wood and give it an indelible 
tinge, and, at the same time, render it 
impervious to the attacks of insects. 
When these two coats are dry, they rub 
the surface of the wood first with a very 
hard brush of couch grass (chien dent), 
and then with charcoal of substances as 
light and friable as possible, because if a 
single hard grain remained in the char¬ 
coal, this alone would scratch the sur¬ 
face, which they wish, on the contrary, to 
render perfectly smooth. The flat parts 
are rubbed with natural stick charcoal; 
the indented portions and crevices with 
charcoal powder. Alternately with the 
charcoal the workman also rubs his 
piece of furniture with flannel soaked in 
linseed oil and the essence of turpentine, 
ihese pouncings repeated several times, 
cause the charcoal powder and the oil to 
penetrate into the wood, giving the 
article of furniture a beautiful color, also 
a perfect polish which has none of the 
flaws of ordinary varnish. 
SUFFERING FROM ITS CEMETERIES 
CAN FRANCISCO is said to be suf- 
^ fering from its cemeteries, which 
are, as it happens, now placed on hills, to 
the windward of the main portion of the 
city, in such a position that the trade- 
winds from the Pacific, which blow for 
two months of the year, bring down 
In Building 
Your Home 
are you building for one summer or for a 
generation. 
Are You Erecting 
a New House 
that is going to look shoddy or shabby in 
a year or two? 
Are you familiar with the economy 
of using floor and wall tile in bath-rooms, 
kitchens, butlers’ pantries, laundries, 
fireplaces, vestibules and porches ? 
For free information write to the In¬ 
formation Bureau of the 
TILE INDUSTRY 
318 Corcoran Bldg. Washington, D. C. 
"The Griswold,” New London, Conn. 
R. W. Gibson, Architect. 
—26" diam. 24'—0" long. 8—24" diam.—22'—0" long, 
79—14" diam.—IT—7" long. 
Koll’s Patent Lock Joint Col¬ 
umns and Ornamental Capitals 
were made and furnished by us 
for this building. 
We have unusual facilities for turning 
out work of this character. See our spe¬ 
cial catalogue in “ Sweet’s Index Cata¬ 
logue of Building Construction,” pages 
323 to 328. 
Hartmann Bros. Mfg. Co. 
MT. VERNON, N.Y., U. S. A. 
New York Office, 1123 BROADWAY 
H. SANDERS CO., Elston & Webster Aves., Chicago, Ill. 
A. J. ROLL PLANING CO., Los Angeles, Cal. 
Manufacturers of Roll's Patent Lock Joint Columns for Pergolas, 
Porches, or Interior Use. Send for catalogue (P) 
Mantel Design in Colored Mat 
Glaze Tile 
Made by 
R00KW00D POTTERY (0. 
CINCINNATI 
MENNENS 
BORATED TALCUM 
TOILET POWDER 
“When Frost is on the Pumpkin 
and fodder’s in the shock,” there comes a fe 
at having - survived the summer months with clear skin and com¬ 
plexions unimpaired. Mennen’s is a safe and pure toilet necessity, 
delightful after bathing: and after shaving, and indispensable in 
the nursery. 
For your protection it is put up in a non-refillable box—the 
box that lox.” If MENNEN’S face is on the cover it’s genuine 
and a guarantee of purity. Guaranteed under the Food and 
Drugs Act, June 30th, 1906. Serial No. 1542. 
Sold everywhere, or by mail, 25 cents. Sample Free/ 
GERHARD MENNEN CO., Newark, N. J. 
Try MENNEN’S Violet (Borated) Talcum Toilet Powder 
It has the scent of fresh-cut Parma Violets A 
SPEAR’S 
New Cooking Range New Warm Air Distributors 
Open Grates and Stoves for Wood and Coal 
Special Stoves for Laundry, Stable, Greenhouse, etc. 
Steam and Hot Water Heating Systems 
There are many reasons why you should have only Spear’s Heating and Cooking 
appliances—the most modern, efficient, and economical —In YOUT Country Home 
Write to-day for further information and estimates Hotels and Institutions receive, special attention 
James Spear Stove and Heating Co. 
1014=16 Market Street Philadelphia, Pa. 
In writing to advertisers pleas c mention House and Gakden. 
5 
