Col. Sober: I take just a common corn cob and wind it on as you would on a spool, then, while the wax is warm, I dip it in; you can have the cloth half an inch wide or an inch wide just as you please. My way of making wax is, I take two pounds of rosin, one pound of beeswax and half a pound of tallow. I find that stands all kinds of weather.
Mr. Jones: You prefer the tallow?
Col. Sober: Yes sir, I do.
The Chairman: Beef tallow or mutton tallow?
Col. Sober: I prefer mutton tallow; two pounds of rosin, one of beeswax and half a pound of tallow. Then you want to boil it very slowly and thoroughly, and pour it in cold water.
A Member: Do you unroll this roll of cloth?
Col. Sober: I have a machine to turn it on just the same as you would on a spool.
Mr. Jones: The strip goes through the wax?
Col. Sober: No, you wind that, then when your wax is warm, you drop this in but secure the ends, then take it out and lay it by till it's all saturated; then I tear it off as I use it. I find that is the most convenient thing, and I generally get calico, that is pretty closely woven, but is rotten so that it tears easily.
Mr. Jones: Did you ever use raffia for tying your grafts?