ion of the idea meant here to be conveyed, we will suppose a
quantity of thick mud or peat dumped into a cavity containing water, and
a similar quantity of the same material dumped into another cavity
having no water; the one fills the bottom of the cavity solid, while the
other becomes partly liquid at the bottom, and must of necessity shrink
before it assumes the solidity of the former. Hence it appears that work
to be filled should be oiled and allowed to stand some time before
receiving the filler, or until the oil has been absorbed into the pores.

The preparatory coating should not be mixed so as to dry too quickly,
nor allowed to stand too long before introducing the putty, for in this
case the putty when forced along by the knife will not slip so easily as
it should.

The cost of rubbing and sand-papering in the finishing process is very
much lessened if the cleaning be thorough, and if all the corners and
mouldings be scraped out, so that pieces of putty do not remain to work
up into the first coat of shellac, or whatever finish may be used as a
substitute for shellac.

Another important feature in hard filling is to let the work be well
dried before applying the first coat of finish. One day is not
sufficient for the proper drying of putty fillers, and if in consequence
of insufficient drying a part of the filling washes out, it is so much
labour lost. As a safeguard against washing out, these fillers should be
mixed with as much dryer or japan as the case warrants, for it
frequently occurs that work must be finished, or go into finish, the day
following the filling, whether it be dry or not.

By observing the main facts here alluded to, good filling may always be
obtained, and at a cost not exceeding that of poor work.

For the light woods, including ash, chestnut, and oak, the filling is
similar to that used in walnut, except the colouring material, which, of
course, must be slight, or just enough to prevent the whiting and
plaster from showing white in the pores. This colouring may consist of
raw sienna, burnt sienna, or a trifle raw, or umber; one of these
ingredients separate, or all three combined, mixed so as to please the
fancy and suit the prevailing style. The colouring may be used with a
dry filling, although a wet filling is more likely to give a smooth
finish and greater satisfaction, and the colour of the filler can be
seen better in the putty than in the dry powder.

Upon cheap work a fill