The marble saw is a thin plate of soft iron, continually supplied, during its sawing motion, with water and the sharpest sand. The sawing of moderate pieces is performed by hand; but that of large slabs is most economically done by a proper mill. The first substance need in the polishing process is the sharpest sand, which must be worked with till the-Burface becomes perfectly flat. Then a second, and even a third sand, of Increasing fineness is to be applied. The next substance is emery, of progressive degrees of fineness; after which, tripoli is employed; and the last polish is given with tin putty. The body with which the sand is rubbed upon the marble is usually a plate of iron; but, for the subsequent process, a plate of lead is used, with fine Band and emery. The polishing robbers are coarse linen cloths, or bagging, wedged tight into an iron planing tool. In every step of the operation, a constant trickling supply of water is required.

Alabaster, Marble, or Stone may ho stained of a yellow, red, green, blue, purple, black, or any of the compound colors, by the stains used for wood.