VARNISH TO FIX PENCIL DRAWINGS.
Gum mastic three ounces, alcohol one pint. Dissolve and apply with a brush.
RUST SPOTS ON MARBLE.
Apply a mixture of 1 part nitric acid and 25 parts of water, then rinse with 3 parts water and 1 part ammonia.
WHITEWASH TO SOFTEN.
To soften old whitewash which you wish to take off, wet it thoroughly with a wash made of 1 pound of potash, dissolved in 10 quarts of water.
WATER GLASS FOR FLOORS.
Clean the floor, fill cracks with water glass cement made of water glass and whiting, then put on a coat of water glass, to be followed by second coat; when dry rub the last coat with pumice stone and oil.
TO FINISH REDWOOD.
Take one quart of spirits turpentine; add one pound of corn starch; quarter of a pound burnt sienna; one tablespoonful raw linseed oil and one tablespoonful brown japan. Mix thoroughly, apply with the brush, let it stand, say, fifteen minutes, rub off all you can with fine shavings or a soft rag, let it stand at least twenty-four hours that it may sink into and harden the fibers of the wood; afterward apply two coats of white shellac, rub down well with fine flint paper, then put on from two to five coats best polishing varnish; after it is well dried rub with water and pumice stone ground very fine; stand a day to dry; after being washed clean with a chamois rub with water and rotten stone; dry; wash as before clean, and rub with olive oil until dry. Some use cork for sandpapering and polishing, but a smooth block of hardwood like maple is better. When treated in this way, redwood will be found the peer of any wood for real beauty and life as a house trim or finish.