When the last coat is dry or hard, the whole surface should be well rubbed down with fine pumice sand, which can be purchased from oil and colour shops; but it must be fine, and if necessary dusted through fine muslin. What is called a "bob" must be made of a piece of jean, large enough to - hold in the hand conveniently, and this must be dipped into water and then into the sand; this rubbed vigorously up and down the work will make it quite smooth. Use freely of the water, but moderately of the sand. Afterwards wipe all off cleanly with a wash - leather; and the surface will be found to be dull but (Smooth. Exactly this method is used likewise for black varnished surfaces. The work is now ready for ornamenting, if any ornamenting is to be done. If not, it is ready for varnishing with the clear varnish (not mixing), which will at once brighten the surface which has had to be dulled in the operation of smoothing it. (Eng. Meoh.)

(/) All wood - work intended to be japanned must be prepared with size, and some coarse material mixed with it, to fill up and harden the grain of the wood (such as. may best suit the colour intended to be laid on), which must be rubbed smooth with glass paper when dry. In cases of accident, it. is seldom necessary to re - size the damaged places, unless they are considerable. Be very careful, in japanning, to grind your colours smooth in spirit of turpentine; then add a small quantity of turpentine and spirit varnish; lay it carefully on with a camel - hair brush, and varnish it with brown or white spirit varnish, according to the colour. The colours required are flake - white, red - lead, vermilion, lake, Prussian blue, patent yellow, orpiment, ochres, verditers, van - dyke - brown, Umber, lampblack, and siennas raw and burnt. With these yon may match almost any colours in general use in japanning. For a black japan, it will be found sufficient to mix a little gold - size with lamp - black; this will bear a good gloss without requiring to be Tarnished afterwards.

To prepare a fine tortoise - shell japan ground by means of heat, take 1 gal. good linseed - oil and 1/2 lb. umber; boil them together till the oil becomes very brown and thick; strain through a coarse cloth, and set again to boil, in which state it must be continued till it acquires a consistence resembling that of pitch; it will then be fit for use. Haying thus prepared the varnish, clean well the substance which is to be japanned. Then lay vermilion tempered with shellac varnish, or with drying - oil very thinly diluted with oil of turpentine, on the places intended to imitate the more transparent parts of the tortoise - shell. When the vermilion is dry, brush the whole over with black varnish tempered to a due consistence with the oil of turpentine. When set and firm, put the work into a stove, where it may undergo a very strong heat, which must be continued a considerable time; if even 8 weeks or a month, it will be the better. This tortoise - shell ground is not less valuable for its great hardness, and enduring to be made hotter than boiling water without damage, than for the superior beauty and brilliancy of its appearance. (Painter, Gilder, and Var - nisher's Companion,)