With a little practice any mechanic can repair holes, cracks or chipped places on marble slabs, so that the patched place cannot be detected from the natural marble. Use the following mixture as a base for the filler: Water glass, 10 parts; calcined magnesite, 2 parts, and powdered marble, 4 parts. These should be mixed thoroughly to a semifluid paste. Fill the crack or hole and smooth off level, then with a cam-el's-hair brush and colors, made of aniline in alcohol, work out the veins, body colors, etc., as near to the natural marble as possible. It will depend on the application of the colors whether the repair can be seen or not. Artificial-marble slabs can be formed from this mixture. - Contributed by A. E. Soderlund, New York City.