, is the common
proportion to half a lump of whiting.

The pipe-clay and whiting is generally; applied once a week, but that
might be done only as occasion requires.

_French Polish._

Take a quarter of an ounce of gum sandarac and a quarter of an ounce of
gum mastic; pick the dirt and black lumps out very carefully, and pound
them in a mortar quite fine; put them into a bottle, and add to them a
quartern (old measure) of strong spirit of wine; cork it down and put it
in a warm place; shake it frequently till the gum is entirely dissolved,
which will be in about twenty-four hours.

Before using it, be careful to ascertain that no _grease_ is on the
furniture, as _grease_ would prevent its receiving the polish. If the
furniture has been previously cleaned with bees'-wax or oil, it must be
got off by scraping, which is the best way, but difficult to those who
do not perfectly understand it, because if you are not very careful, you
may scratch the surface, and create more expense than a workman would
charge to do it properly at first. Or it may be done by scouring well
with sand and water, and afterward rubbed quite smooth with fine glass
paper, being careful to do it with the grain of the wood. To apply the
polish, you must have a piece of list or cloth twisted, and tied round
quite tight, and left even at one end, which should be covered with a
piece of fine linen cloth; then pour a little of the polish on the
furniture, and rub it well all over till it is worked into the grain of
the wood, and begins to look quite smooth; then take a soft fine cloth,
or what is better, an old silk handkerchief, and keep rubbing lightly
until the polish is complete, which will take two or three hours. It
will greatly help the polish if it is done near a fire.

If it does not look so smooth and clear as it should, a little sweet oil
rubbed lightly over, and cleaned off directly, will greatly heighten it.
If any part of the furniture has carving about it, where it will be
impossible to polish, it must be done with mastic varnish, and a camel's
hair brush, after the rest is finished.

When the polish begins to look dull, it may be recovered with a little
spirit of wine.

_Polish for Dining Tables_,

Is to rub them with cold-drawn linseed oil, thus:--put a little in the
middle of a table, and then with a piece of linen (never use woollen)
cloth rub it well all over the table; then take another piece of linen,
and rub it for ten