ly in Kubboo, a valley on the
banks of the Ningtee, between Munnipore and the Burman empire. It
attains to such a large size, that it affords planks upwards of three
feet in breadth, and in appearance and grain is very like mahogany. A
similar tree is found in great abundance and perfection at Martaban.

A poisonous vapour exhales from several of the Indian varnishes,
especially from that of Sylhet, and is apt to produce over the whole
skin inflammations, swellings, itchings, and pustules, as if the body
had been stung by a number of wasps. Its effects, however, go off in a
few hours. As a preventative the persons who collect the varnish, before
going to work, smear their faces and hands with greasy matter to prevent
the varnish poison coming into contact with their skin.

CHAPTER VII.

_GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS._

=Remarks on Polishing.=--Amateurs at French polishing will be more
successful on a large surface than a small one.

When polishing, the rubber-cloth should be changed occasionally, or the
brightness will not remain when finished.

A most efficacious improver of many kinds of woods is raw linseed-oil
mixed with a little rectified spirits of turpentine.

French polish can be tinted a light-red with alkanet-root, and a
dark-red with dragon's blood.

A good Turkey sponge is capable of spreading either stain or varnish
more smoothly than a camel's-hair brush on a flat surface.

The sub-nitrate of bismuth mentioned on p. 12 is beginning to supersede
oxalic acid for bleaching processes.

Thin panels for doors should be securely tacked down to a level board,
and polished with a large round flannel rubber having a very flat sole.
Fret-work panels should have all the edges entirely finished with
varnish before they undergo the above operation. To get a good polish
upon a full-fret panel is considered by polishers to be the most
difficult part in the work, on account of the extreme delicacy and
frangibility of the work and the great carefulness required.

Soft spongy wood may be satiated by rubbing a sponge well filled with
polish across the grain until it becomes dry.

In polishing a very large surface, such as a Loo-table top or a wardrobe
end, it is best to do only half at a time, or if a large top a quarter
only.

The approved method of treating dining-table tops is to well body-in
with French polish, after which thoroughly glass-paper down with fine
paper, and then use the oil polish (see page 8