To gild in oil, the wood after being properly smoothed, is covered with a coat of gold sue, made of drying linseed oil mixed with yellow ochre; when this has become so dry as to adhere to the fingers without soiling them, the gold leaf is laid on with great care and dexterity, and pressed down with cotton wool; places that have been missed are covered with small piece* of gold leaf, and when the whole is dry, the ragged bits are rubbed off with the cotton. This is by far the easiest mode of gilding: any other metallic leaves may be applied in a similar manner. Pale leaf gold has a greenish yellow color, and is an alloy of gold and silver. Dutch gold leaf is only copper leaf colored with the fumes of zinc; being much cheaper than true gold leaf, it is very useful when large quantities of gilding are required in places where it can be defended from the weather, as it changes color if exposed to moisture; and it should be covered with varnish. Silver leaf is prepared every way the same as gold leaf; but when applied should be kept well covered with varnish, otherwise it is liable to tarnish; a transparent yellow varnish will give it the appearance of gold. Whenever gold is fixed by means of linseed oil, will bear washing off, which burnished gold will not Best Color for Boot, Shoe, and Harness Edge. Alcohol.

1 pint; tincture of iron, 1 1/2 oz.; extract logwood, 1 oz.; pulverized nutgalls, 1 oz.: soft water, 1/2 pint; sweet oil, 1/2 oz.; put this last into the alcohol before adding the water. Nothing can exceed the beautiful finish imparted to the leather by this preparation. The only objection is the cost.

Cheap Color For The Edge

Soft water, 1 gallon; extract logwood, 1 oz.; boil till the extract is dissolved; remove from the fire, and add copperas, 2 oz.; bi-chromate of potash and gum arabic, of each, 1/2 oz.; all to be pulverized.

Superior Edge Blacking

Soft water, 5 gallons; bring to a boil, and add 8 oz. logwood extract, pulverized; boil 3 minutes, remove from the fire, and stir in 2 1/2 oz. gum arabic, 1 oz. bi-chromate of potash, and 80 grains prussiate of potash.

For a small quantity of this, use water, 2 quarts; extract of logwood, % oz.; gum arabic, 9G grains; bi-chromate of potash, 48 grains; prussiate of potash, 8 grains. Boil the extract in the water 2 minutes; remove from the fire, and stir in the others; and it is ready for use.

For tanners' surface blacking, which is not required to take on a high polish, the gum arabic may be omitted.

Black Varnish For The Edge

Take 98 per cent. alcohol, 1 pint; shellac, 3 oz.; resin. 2 oz.; pine turpentine, 1 oz.; lamp-black, 1/4 oz.; mix; and when the gums are all cut, it is ready for use. This preparation makes a most splendid appearance when applied to boot, shoe, or harness edge, and is equally applicable to cloth or wood, where a gloss is required after being painted.