RERAMIC STUDIO 
281 
hour-lines or a clear, distinct shadow from the gnomon; and 
seek to have the numbers of the hours and the subdivisions of 
the spaces the most prominent points on the plate. 
These things settled, transfer the points on the tracing 
to the surface of the brass with a well sharpened scratch awl 
and describe the various circles with a pair of steel dividers. 
In engraving be careful to get clean, firm lines throughout, 
with the latitude and at least the year in which it was made. 
Anyone who is ttnfamiliar with this form of time-keeper 
has only to glance through " Sun Dials and Roses of Yester- 
day", written by Mrs. Alice Morse Earle, to become thoroughly 
imbued with their spirit and a desire to know more of them. 
This accomplished, recourse may be had to several old books, 
occasionally to be found in the best hbraries, on the once 
valued art of dialling, which were written by Leybom, Lead- 
better, Fergusson and others as early as the seventeenth 
century. If these are not available the modem Book of Sun 
Dials, by Mrs. Alfred Gatty, will be of great interest, and the 
Encyclopedia Britannica contains a good article on the mathe- 
matical part of the work. 
Dials have been made of pottery but they are unsatis- 
factory because great difficulty is likely to be found in retaining 
any degree of accuracy, and this is the prime requisite of all 
dials. In fact, if one has a knowledge of spherical trigono- 
metry^ better results may be obtained in this respect than bj^ 
following the method here described. 
It may be that some will think from this article that the 
making of a sun dial permits very little individualitj^ on the 
part of the craftsman, but this is not so, and he who makes a 
single specimen of this quaint instrument will saj' with Shaks- 
peare 
"Methinks it were a happy life . . . 
To carve out dials quaintly point by point." 
ns.^. 
and unless well skilled do not attempt any shading. Let 
each line be deep enough to make a good shadow and so 
speak for what it represents without affectation. It is better 
not to fill the lines but let each be distinguished \>y its shadow 
so that when darkened by the weather the color of the metal 
will not conflict with that of the filling. 
All that remains is to shape the gnomon and fix it in place. 
The ordinary form is similar to that in the figure but some- 
times they have the monogram of the owner left solid and the 
rest of the triangle cut out and sometimes they are filled with 
scrolls, while others still are engraved on the sides. But plain 
or fanciful, it is all one if the edges are true and sharp, and it 
is fixed securely to the dial-plate. 
However simple it maj' be every dial shoidd ht inscribed 
TILED BOX FOR PLANTS 
Emily F. Peacock ^"^ 
TREAT the tiles in three or four tones of blue, they will 
need three fires at least. When the wood frame is made, 
outline the design with a carving tool and inlaj^ a little bkie 
color in it. The zinc lining should fit well, and the joints be 
well soldered, so that there will not be any leakage. 
Materials — ^Twelve six inch tiles, five for each side and 
one for each end; a frame of silver birch and a zinc lining. 
(joN^PLETED Tiled 15°-^ 
Tor 'PunuTtti 
