rnish with a
flat camel's-hair or sable brush. In an hour after application the
surface is perfectly dry.

=French Varnish for Cabinet-work.=--Take of shellac 11/2 oz. gum mastic
and gum sandarach, of each 1/2 oz., spirit of wine by weight 20 oz. The
gums to be first dissolved in the spirit, and lastly the shellac. This
may be best effected by means of the water-bath. Place a loosely-corked
bottle containing the mixture in a vessel of warm water of a temperature
below the boiling point, and let it remain until the gums are dissolved.
Should evaporation take place, an equal quantity to the spirit of wine
so lost must be replaced till the mixture settles, then pour off the
clear liquid for use, leaving the impurities behind; but do not filter
it. Greater hardness may be given to the varnish by increasing the
quantity of shellac, which may be done to the amount of one-twelfth of
the lac to eleven-twelfths of spirit. But in this latter proportion the
varnish loses its transparency in some degree, and must be laid on in
very small quantities at a time.

=Mastic Varnish.=--Mastic should be dissolved in oil of turpentine, in
close glass vessels, by means of a gentle heat. This varnish is
extensively used in transparencies, etc.

=Cabinet-maker's Varnish.=--Take 5 lbs. very pale gum shellac, 7 oz. gum
mastic, 1 gallon alcohol. Dissolve in a cold atmosphere with frequent
stirring.

=Amber Varnish.=--This is a most difficult varnish to make. It is
usually prepared by roasting the amber and adding hot linseed-oil, after
which turpentine can be mixed if required. But for a small quantity,
dissolve the broken amber, without heat, in the smallest possible
quantity of chloroform or pure benzine. Heat the linseed-oil, remove it
from the fire, and pour in the amber solution, stirring all the time.
Then add the turpentine. If not quite clear, heat again, using the
utmost caution.

=Colourless Varnish with Copal.=--To prepare this varnish the copal must
be picked; each piece is broken, and a drop of rosemary-oil poured on
it. Those pieces which, on contact with the oil, become soft are the
ones used. The pieces being selected, they are ground and passed through
a sieve, being reduced to a fine powder. It is then placed in a glass,
and a corresponding volume of rosemary-oil poured over it; the mixture
is then stirred for a few minutes until it is transformed into a thick
liquor. It is then left to rest for two hours, when a