The sticks should be stacked in an open shed in an upright position if possible, and in such a manner that the air can freely circulate around them. When they are required for fishing rods or walking sticks they are hung up to season—this keeps them straighter; but the hanging of them up is not necessary for the work about to be dealt with. When the sticks have been put away for from six to twelve months, according to size, they will be ready for use, after being rubbed with a cloth or brushed to clean off the dust and bring up the colour of the bark. Fir cones may often be worked into a design, and bits of rough bark and the warts and burrs found on old elm trees may be collected by the rustic worker and put by for future use.
Fig. 1.—Photograph Frame and Wall Bracket Combined.
One method of treatment for designs in light rustic work is to split the sticks and use them to overlay the work with a Swiss pattern, as shown by [Fig. 1]; another method is to work the sticks up after the manner that canes are used in bamboo furniture (see [Figs. 3] and [Fig. 42], pp. 12 and 36).
Fig. 2.—Section of Bracket, showing Fixing of Glass.
[Fig. 1] represents a wall bracket with a photograph or mirror in the frame. To make this, the piece forming the back is first cut out of 3/8-in. deal. The shelf, of ¾-in. deal, is then nailed to the bottom edge. Some straight hazel, fir, or other sticks are next selected and split; these are nailed round the edges of the back, and round the opening at the centre. The pieces round the opening overlap the edges about ¼ in., to form a rebate for the glass. The bare spaces at the sides and top may be covered in the following manner: Take a piece of brown elm bark and run a saw into it. Catch the sawdust, and, after warming the wood, cover it with thin glue.