h a heavy, unsympathetic bow arm, will require the ruts higher above
the board than a soloist of refined taste. The relative heights, one
with another, must be the same in both cases. When the ruts are finished,
recourse must be had to the glasspaper file again to round the top
surface of the nut with an inclination downwards toward the peg-box.
This is an arrangement requiring care, as, when the nut is level with
the fingerboard, there is danger of the strings jarring. When finished
sufficiently even the ruts may require a little further attention, as
it is difficult to at once complete them. The two parts are perhaps
best worked one with another, neither being finished off in one working
and left.

We may now proceed to the further progress of the sides of the
fingerboard; this, of course, can only be done when all is settled about
the nut, this part requiring to be a continuation, notwithstanding the
rise upward of the line from end to end. Preparation must be made for
guarding the upper table of the violin from injury, from slips of the
glasspaper file during the backward and forward movement. A good way
to prevent this is to make a millboard or thick brown paper shield with
a part cut away to allow the neck to have a hold. By putting this over
the upper table and underneath the fingerboard a part will project
forward on each side of the neck; it must be held in position by one
hand, while the other holds the paper file, which will be worked along
the sides of the fingerboard, at the same time being held nearly
vertical. After some little time the part where the ebony joins the
graft will appear worked down quite smooth, some finer degrees of the
paper will reduce the surface to almost a polish. The nut receiving
a part of the working will now present an appearance--as regards form
only--of having been left from a reduction of the fingerboard stopping
short at a straight line.

This part now, if the fitting of the fingerboard to the graft has been
neatly done, will show no line of glue or joint, but simply the
difference of material. The upper edges of the ebony may be rounded
down along to the end, but less at the lowest.

The whole affair, however, is not yet complete, as the surface to be
varnished must be made ready for it. If left in the present condition,
players who are very fastidious would be complaining of the work not
standing well or deteriorating under use. The cause of this
deterioration will be tha