ion, it is best to commence with the least tractable
substance. For use, wrap a ball of the ground in a piece of fine and
close silk (taffeta), and tie this together with a string.

6. MEANS OF HEATING THE PLATE.--Any source of heat emitting no smoke
will do, such as a kitchen stove, a spirit lamp, or a small quantity of
alcohol poured on a plate and ignited (when the time arrives).

7. A HAND VICE with a wooden handle, for holding the plate while heating
it; price about seventy-five cents at the hardware-stores. But a small
monkey-wrench will do as well, and for this experiment you can even get
along with a pair of pincers.

8. A DABBER for laying the ground on the plate. Cut a piece of stout
card-board, two or three inches in diameter; on this lay a bunch of
horse-hair, freed from all dust, and over this again some cotton wool.
Cover the whole with one or two pieces of clean taffeta (a clean piece
of an old silk dress will do), draw them together tightly over the
card-board, and tie with a string. When finished the thing will look
something like a lady's toilet-ball. The horse-hair is not absolutely
necessary, and may be omitted.

9. MEANS OF SMOKING THE GROUND.--The ground when laid on the plate with
the dabber, is quite transparent and allows the glitter of the metal to
shine through. To obtain a better working surface the ground is
blackened by smoking it. For this purpose the thin wax-tapers known to
Germans as "Wachsstock," generally sold at German toy-stores, are the
best. They come in balls. Cut the tapers into lengths, and twist six of
them together. In default of these tapers, roll a piece of cotton cloth
into a roll about as thick and as long as your middle finger, and soak
one end of it in common lamp or sperm oil.

10. STOPPING-OUT VARNISH, used for protecting the back and the edges of
the plate, and for "stopping out," of which more hereafter. If you
cannot buy it you can make it by dissolving an ounce of asphaltum, the
same as that used for the ground, in about an ounce and a half of
spirits of turpentine. Add the asphaltum to the turpentine little by
little; shake the bottle containing the mixture frequently; keep it in
the sun or a moderately warm place. The operation will require several
days. The solution when finished should be of the consistency of thick
honey.

11. CAMEL'S-HAIR BRUSHES, two or three of different sizes, for laying on
the stopping-out varnish, and for other purposes.

12. ET