BEE HIVES.
Bee Hives can be made with leather stems, as follows:—Cut a piece of wood to the shape and size required; wind and glue upon it the stems, beginning at the top, and finishing off at the bottom. To join the stems as you proceed, cut each end to an angle, so that they fit; join them with liquid glue, and tie a piece of thread round to hold them tightly together until the glue is dry. When the hive is completed, that portion of thread left visible can be cut off.
To imitate the tying seen in hives, mark with a pen, or a camel’s hair pencil, with the darkest stain, lines and dots from top to bottom; cut a small piece out of the lower tier to make the entrance, and put a little handle at the top with a piece of stem.
When made as above, on wood, and well glued, they can be sawn in halves, thus making two. Placed amongst foliage, frames, &c., they are quite in keeping, and have a pleasing effect.
TO PAINT ORNAMENTAL LEATHER WORK.
Use finely powdered colours, and mix them to the consistence of cream, with the following medium:—Mix the white of an egg with 2 oz. of pure distilled vinegar; put them into a bottle and shake them well together whenever you are about to mix any colours with it: or mix the colours with parchment size warmed; use while warm: or mix them with a weak solution of gum arabic; and, in either case, varnish them with a quick drying pale varnish. Oil colours will not do for painting this kind of materials: any of the above mediums, properly prepared, will answer well. Gilding may be interspersed with brilliant effect.