not, from lack of wood
of the right sort and in equal widths, been able to do otherwise. At
times it may have been carelessness. Some of their roughly made violins
have the joint line over a quarter of an inch from the centre,
occasionally it will be not only wider on one side than the other, but
the thread or grain will diverge instead of running parallel with the
centre line. The judiciousness of careful measurement for the centre,
instead of relying on the joint line, will therefore be obvious. There
is not much to be said in preference of one kind of hard wood over
another for the end peg, it being a matter of fancy as to appearance.
Ebony being black and very hard, should perhaps take the preference
in wear, and acquiring a polish from the gentle friction it is liable
to. The old Italian end pegs were mostly of cherrywood, with lines
neatly turned round a centre of ivory or bone.

CHAPTER IV.

INJURIES TO THE HEAD OR SCROLL--INSERTION OF FRESH WOOD--COLOURING OF
WHITE WOOD--SEPARATION OF HEAD FROM PEG-BOX AND RE-JOINING--STOPPING
MATERIAL FOR SMALL HOLES OR FRACTURES--THE PEG-BOX CRACKED BY PEG
PRESSURE.

Leaving this part now, we can turn our attention for a time to
reparation of injury to the head or scroll. This interesting and often
highly artistic part of the general structure of the violin, and in
which no man since the time of the old Brescian, Gasparo da Salo, has
succeeded in effecting any permanent change of fashion, is subject to
as many knocks as any other part. A piece out of the ear or first turn
from the axis is, with a delicately carved scroll, so frequently seen
as to be almost fashionable; little pieces out of the edges further
off from the central part, are common disfigurements. Modern vandals
rub these parts down with a file or glasspaper, to make it nice and
even to their vision, saving themselves time and trouble. Many a
graceful scroll, carved with loving care and enviable dexterity by a
master of his art, has thus come to an untimely end. Should your
cherished Guarneri or Stradivari scroll got chipped or fractured by
accident and the piece drop, search for it at once, and when found,
if you have not good mechanical ability and experience in fitting such
delicate parts, it should, while fresh and free from soiling, be
entrusted without delay to the care of a professional repairer of
repute, but not to a provincial amateur or rough carpenter who would
probably make matters worse.