, or rosewood, under polish, the contrast
of colour is so great that the ivory must be used very sparingly. The
ivory is sometimes stained in order to bring its colour more into
harmony with a dark wood-ground, but it is never quite satisfactory. The
use of inlay makes the direction from which the light enters the room a
matter of no moment, so long as the light reaches the object decorated."

The effect of intarsia has been sought by various imitative processes,
some of which are indistinguishable from it except by close inspection.
In one of these wax, either in its natural state or tinted with an
addition of powder colour, was used; in another glue mixed with whiting
or plaster, also sometimes tinged, or red lead. On April 7, 1902, a
paper was read at the Royal Institute of British Architects on wax
stoppings of this kind by Mr. Heywood Sumner, in the course of which he
said that the process he himself had used was as follows:--"First trace
the design on the panel of wood to be incised; cut it, either with a V
tool or knife blade fixed in a tool-handle; clear out the larger spaces
with a small gouge, leaving tool-mark roughness in the bottoms for key;
when cut, stop the suction of the wood by several coats of white, hard
polish. For coloured stoppings, resin (as white as can be got), beeswax,
and powdered distemper are the three things needful. The melted wax may
be run into the incisions by means of a small funnel with handle and gas
jet affixed; it is attachable to the nearest gas burner by india-rubber
tubing, so that a regulated heat can be applied to the funnel. When thus
attached and heated, pieces of wax of the required inlay colour are
dropped into the funnel, and soon there will be a run of melted wax
dropping from the end of the funnel-spout, which is easily guided by
means of the wooden handle, and thus the entire panel may be inlaid with
the melted wax. Superfluous surface wax is cleared off with a broad
chisel, so as to make the whole surface flush. The suction of the wood
is stopped by means of white, hard polish, otherwise the hot wax will
enter the grain of the wood and stain it. Incised panels may be filled
successfully with japanner's gold size and powdered distemper colour,
using a palette knife to distribute the slab mixture. A close grain is
the one thing needful in the wood. As to design, that which is best
suited may be compared to a broad sort of engraving." Red lead was also
used sometimes, an