are several other motions of the comb having
the same end in view; and by using the gutta-percha or cork combs, in
conjunction with the fine steel, an infinite variety of grain may be
produced. Steel combs, with one or more folds of thin rag placed
over the ends of the teeth are a style of comb which has nothing to
recommend it. A natural variation in the grain may be produced by one
comb alone, according to the manner in which it is held. For instance,
if we take a coarse or broad-toothed gutta-percha comb, and commence
at the top of a panel, with the comb, placed at its full width: if
drawn down in this position it will leave a grain of the same width
as the width of the teeth: but if we start with the full width, and
gradually turn the comb or slightly incline it to one side--that is to
say, on its edge, we thereby graduate the grain from coarse to fine
at pleasure, and by holding the comb at a certain inclination we may
actually make very fine the coarse comb. A very important point is
the formation of the joints in the wood, as much of the effect of
otherwise good work is lost in consequence of neglect in this respect.
In looking at a real oak door, the joints of the stiles and rails are
clearly and sharply defined, not by any defect of workmanship, but
by the difference in the run of the grain, the stiles being
perpendicular, and the rails horizontal. The rails being cut sharp
off by the stiles, show a perfectly straight line. The light also acts
differently upon the two, simply because the grain or fibre of the
wood is exposed to its influence under different aspects. This also
tends to produce a difference in the depth of the color of rails and
stiles, and panels also. It will be evident that no imitations can be
considered really good except they include these seemingly unimportant
points.

It is a common practice for grainers to imitate a broad piece of heart
or sap of oak, upon the back rail of almost every door they do, and
many of them are not even content with that, but daub the stiles over
from top to bottom with it also. There is nothing so vulgar or in
such bad taste. It should only be done upon those parts of the work on
which it would appear on a real oak door, namely, on the edges of the
doors and on mouldings. There is a vulgar pretentiousness about what
we may call the sappy style of work which is very undesirable. The
figures cross the grain more or less abruptly and of course are of
different sh