e will be but small risk of contraction, and if cleanly done there
will not be much trouble in colouring the part to match the
surroundings.

[Illustration: DIAGRAM 19.]

We can now advance another step and notice a frequently occurring
fracture that is caused by the constant pressure and tuning up of the
A peg, at a part which in many violins, owing to the peculiarity of
design, is a very weak one, the grain of the wood above the peg being
short and liable to overstraining by impetuous performers. Being one
of the most inconvenient positions on the instrument for working upon,
if the repairing is not effected in a methodical manner, it is nearly
certain to come undone again. The crack is more often than not
unperceived for a considerable time by the performer, and meanwhile
grease and dirt work their way secretly into the pores of the wood.
A repairer may take a glance at the state of the fracture, whip out
some glue, paint a little on each side, wriggle the whole well at the
risk of extending the wound, get in a little more glue, and let that
harden under pressure from the cramps, which--unless extraordinary
care and skill is exercised, damage other portions of the work--replace
the peg and send the instrument home again apparently as sound as new
(diagram 20). This treatment, if resorted to immediately after a sudden
and clean fracture, may be effectual for some time, but if, as above
mentioned, it has begun secretly and enlarged by degrees, the kind of
repairing described will serve but a few turns of the peg, when crack
it goes once more. Off to the fiddle hospital again, where it may be
possibly subjected to a repetition of the treatment, especially if the
owner is of an economical turn of mind as regards "bill of costs."

[Illustration: DIAGRAM 20.]

Under the above circumstances of combined age and dirt, some repairers
would dare to increase the fracture or pull the scroll quite off in
order to get at the part, cleaning it well before glueing it on again.
This is making things worse, particularly as this part of the violin
is one of the most awkward at which to apply direct strong pressure
on a good and neat junction.

Sometimes the first mode is resorted to with the addition of what is
called bushing the peg-hole, that is, after the glueing performance
has been gone through, it will last strong enough while the hole is
being enlarged, a cylindrical plug of wood being inserted, and glued.
This is levelled