r pellet of cotton, or, if you like it better, a
small piece of canton flannel--wet it with a little diluted nitric
acid; then sift some finely prepared rottenstone--Davie's,* if you can
get it--upon it, and rub it over the plate with a continual circular
motion, till all traces of the dirt and scratches are removed; then
wipe off the rottenstone with a clean piece of cotton, adopting, as
before, a slight circular motion, at the same time wiping the edges of
the plate. Even the back should not be neglected, but throughly
cleansed from any dirt or greasy film it may have received from
handling.

* Sold by E. Anthony.

When this is thoroughly accomplished, mix a portion of your tripoli
with the dilute nitric acid, to the consistence of thick cream. Then
take a pellet of cotton and well polish the plate with this mixture, in
the same manner as with the rottenstone. Continue the process till, on
removing the tripoli with a clean pellet, the plate exhibits a clear,
smooth, bright surface, free from all spots, or scratches. Any remains
of the acid on the plate may be entirely removed By sifting on it a
little Drying powder, and then wiping it carefully off with a fine
camels hair brush, or duster. The finishing polish is now to be given.

For this purpose the rouge--or a mixture of rouge and lamp-black, in
the proportion of one part of the former to seven of the latter--is
used. It should be kept either in a muslin bag, or wide mouth bottle,
over which a piece of muslin is tied--in fact, both the rottenstone and
tripoli should be preserved from the dust in the same manner. With a
little of this powder spread over the buff--described on page 53--the
plate recieves its final polish; the circular motion is changed for a
straight one across the plate, which, if intended for a portrait,
should be buffed the narrow way; but if, for a landscape or view of a
house, the length way of the plate.

The operation of cleaning the plate at first appears difficult and
tedious, and many have been deterred from attempting this interesting
art on that account; but, in reality, it is more simple in practice
than in description, and with a little patience and observation, all
difficulties are easily overcome. Great care must be taken to keep the
buff free from all extraneous matter, and perfectly dry, and when not
in use it should be wrapped up in tissue paper, or placed in a tight
box.

The plate should be buffed immediately before