0) cost the round sum of $9. Like descriptions of metal,
the same gentlemen would be glad to furnish, at this time, for $4. Soon
after this, some samples of English plated metal, of a very superior
quality, came to our possession, and relieved us from the toil of
making and plating one plate at a time, an expedient we were compelled
to resort to, to command material to meet the pressing demands for
portraits.

Having it now in our power to obtain good plated metal, a more rapid
mode of polishing than that recommended by Daguerre was attempted as
follows:

This metal was cut to the desired size, and having a pair of "hand
rolls" at hand, each plate, with its silvered side placed next to the
highly polished surface of a steel die, was passed and repassed through
the rolls many times, by which process a very smooth, perfect surface
was obtained. The plates were then annealed, and a number of plates
thus prepared were fastened to the bottom of a box a few inches deep a
foot wide, and eighteen inches long; this box was placed upon a table
and attached to a rod connected to the face plate of a lathe, a few
inches from its centre, so as to give the box a reciprocating motion.
A quantity of emery was now strewn over the plates, and the lathe set
in motion. The action produced wag a friction or rubbing of the emery
over the surface of the plates.

When continued for some time, a greyish polish was the result.
Linseed, when used in the same manner, gave us better hope of success,
and the next step resorted to was to build a wheel and suspend it after
the manner of a grindstone. The plates being secured to the inner side
of the wheel or case, and as this case revolved, the seeds would
constantly keep to the lower level, and their sliding over the surface
of the plates would polish or burnish their surfaces. This, with the
former, was soon abandoned; rounded shots of silver placed in the same
wheel were found not to perform the polishing so well as linseed.
Buff-wheels of leather with rotten-stone and oil, proved to be far
superior to all other contrivances; and, subsequently, at the
suggestion of Professor Draper, velvet was used in lieu of buff
leather, and soon superseded all other substances, both for lathe and
hand-buffs, and I would add, for the benefit of new beginners that
those who are familiar with its use, prefer cotton velvet. The only
requisite necessary is, that the buffs made of cotton velvet should be
kept