The Saint Paul globe., 1903-12-27

no more wood is covered than can be
rubbed off within fifteen minutes
Allow the filler to set until it loses
its glossy appearance; then thorough
ly rub the surface, rubbing across the
grain, until the wood is smooth and
clean. The filler should be allowed
at least twenty-four hours to dry, and
the work would prove better if forty
eight hours could elapse before apply
ing the varnish."
have quoted these directions from
treatise on the finish of floors
There are many preparations of wax
on the market which give nice-look-
ing finish when applied to floors in
the proper manner. The prepared wax
can be applied with brush or cloth all
over the surface, care being taken to
| spread it evenly. About half an hour
should be allowed for it to dry, and
then heavy-weighted brush should
be used to rub the surface, going first
across the grain and then with it.
After rubbing it this way, wrap the
brush with soft piece of wooden
cloth, and rub to final gloss.
In room with many doors, the
best effect is gained by using por-
there's of color matching the side
wall covering. In this way there is
no danger of giving the patchy look
to small room that more varied
treatment might induce. 1t is quite
possible to have tan-colored material
dyed green. Take with you to the
dye house sample of your wall paper,
and find out if the shade can be match
ed exactly. Putty can be used to fill
cracks in floors, but must be well
Ismoothed down and sandpapered when
thoroughly dry.
"R. S. ". r." writes: "Please help
me- am finishing new house, and
must know something about how l
can have the floors treated. The con-
tractor in the small town where live
knows nothing. Can they be stained
and finished without being vanished?
Am | right in thinking you have some
times in your articles, or in answers
to letters, advised setting mirror in
the wall over the mantel shelf? My
husband says / dreamed it, and that
a mantel mirror requires a gold-leaf
frame. Now | have a mantel in my
house, over which | would like very
greatly to use d mirror, but just now
II do not feel we can afford such a
handsome frame. Thinking you said
they could be framed in fiat moulding,
4 like the woodwork Of the room, or set
in panelling, | decided to try the
moulding Am | right? What color
is Flemish oak, and what other dark
oaks are there?"
The answer to Mrs. A. B. c. goes
fully into the question of floor finish.
As to the mirror, by all means frame it
in the fiat modelling, which matches
the woodwork In many cases mir
ror so framed is more effective than
one in a gold frame, and certainly less
expensive. Flemish oak is oak that
has been treated to a black stain.
There are a variety of dark-stained
oaks on the market now. Very dark
brown is known as Austrian or Bel
gian oak. Where the stain is a gray
ish brown, it is called weathered.
English oak is like the so-called an
tique in color, but has dull surface.
"Sharp & Co." writes: "The walls
of my office are terra Gotta, and / have
been advised to use Indian blankets
on my floor. The woodwork is ma
Ihogany. Taking this advice, bought
two very handsome blankets, but
every man that comes in notices how
the colors jar. What is wrong, and
how can I set it right? must keep
the blankets. What is Colonial wood
work? | have had discussion about
it. My opponent says it is always
ivory-white. Kindly answer through
your most interesting columns"
| There seems nothing for it but to
re-color or recover you walls. The
| scarlet of Indian blankets and terra
Gotta refuse to harmonic. If your
Office is very light one, use plain.
dull green paper on your walls. If
dark, choose some unobtrusive. shade
of yellow. You will find either Of
these colors will "go" with your
blankets Colonial woodwork IS not
j always white.