a satisfactory
appearance. It should then be left for about twelve hours; the polish
will be well into the wood by that time. The polish should then be
carefully rubbed down with No. glass-paper; this will remove the atomic
roughness usually caused by the rising of the grain during the sinking
period. In flat-surface work a paper cork can be used, and the rubbing
lightly and regularly done in a careful manner, so as to avoid rubbing
through the outer skin, especially at the edges and corners, or the work
will be irremediably defaced.

The woods which possess a rising grain are well known to polishers;
these are the light-coloured woods with a coarse grain, viz., ash,
birch, and oak. This rising of the grain can in a great measure be
prevented by passing a damp sponge over the work before commencing the
polishing, allowing it to dry, and papering it. After the rubbing or
smoothing-down process is finished, the work should be well dusted; the
polishing can then recommence. The above operation must be again
repeated with a rotary motion and gradually increased pressure as the
rubber gets dry, and finished by lighter rubbings the way of the grain;
this will remove any slight marks that may be occasioned by the circular
movements of the rubber.

Working too long on any one part is to be avoided, nor should the rubber
be allowed to stick even for an instant, or it will pull the coating of
polish off to the bare wood. The rubber should be covered with a clean
part of the rag as soon as a shiny appearance becomes apparent upon it,
or at each time of damping, and less oil should be used towards the end
of the operation, so as to gradually clear it all off from the surface.
Rubber marks can be removed by rubbing in a direction the reverse of the
marks with a half-dry rubber and increased pressure. When the work has
received a sufficient body, in finishing the drying of the last rubber,
ply it briskly the way of the grain to produce a clean dry surface for
the spiriting-off.

The following is the method usually employed on fine carved or turned
work when finished in the best style. In the first place it is embodied
with polish, using a small rubber for the operation, after which it
should have one coat of shellac (two parts by weight of shellac to one
of spirits) applied with a brush, and when dry it should be carefully
smoothed down with flour paper, the utmost caution being observed in
dealing with the sharp edges, or the ca