Hollar, Jr., writes: "I was delighted to find the simple device you gave in the July number of Arts and Crafts for 'proving an etching without a press.' Now, is there any equally inexpensive way for providing the impecunious experimenter with (1) an etching needle, and with (2) an etching bath ? " - To be sure there is. (i) you can make an excellent etching needle out of a rat-tail file ground to a point. The steel is perfectly tempered and will hold a point longer than most of the specially manufactured needles. The rough surface of the file affords the grip necessary for the production of a clean line, which can only come from a hand with a firm grasp on the needle. (2) As lor an etching bath, you may easily improvise one out of an old baking-pan, that will do very well for small plates. Scour the pan inside and out. and give it inside a coat of Burgundy pitch. For all practical purposes this will serve you as well as the most expensive bath v. you could buy.

China Painting. Pamela. - Yes, a very suitable treatment for the Rose Jar design given last month in the magazine would be in matt colours after the Royal Worcester style. Begin by covering the china with a flat tint of vellum, which will give a rich cream tone. It will save much trouble to have this ground fired before proceeding further, for it can then be painted oyer without risk of soiling while the design is being put on. if you do not wish to go to the trouble and expense of an extra a firing, then, after tracing on the design, scrape away the tint from within the lines .of the design in every part. Use pink, with a lew grains of egg-yellow added, for the flowers; nuke the stems light brown - yellow brown will give the I shade. For the dark band use deep bronze green; this fires a beautiful olive colour. The painting when finished must be fired before outlining it with gold. The outlines may be either raised or flat, according to taste. If raised, the paste for raising must he put on before firing, when the painting is thoroughly dry. The centres of the flowers should be put in with dark brown and afterwards dotted with gold. All the dotted parts on the ground should be splashed with gold and left unburnished.

The Firing of Decorated Glass. Muffle. - (I) For firing glass the kiln is heated gradually at first - rather more carefully than for china. When the pot is red hot about one-third up from the bottom, the heat is right for the chief effects in glass painting. The pieces to be fired should be placed upon the flat bottom of the firing-pot, far enough apart from each other to avoid actual contact. (2) Glass decorated with raised paste is fired at a very low degree of beat. (3) Gold does not require excessive heat.