In the spring, when fires are dispensed with, it is the custom to coat the grates, stoves, fenders, and other ironwork attached to fireplaces with Brunswick black in order to save the trouble of constant blackleading. This gives a bright, glaring appearance, and in some instances presents a surface that is difficult to blacklead again. This is more difficult if the blacklead is mixed with turpentine. A varnish free from both of the above objections maybe made as follows. Dissolve 4oz. of common shellac and 2oz. of resin in 1 pt. of methylated spirit, and add 1/2oz. of black aniline dye. soluble in spirits, to give it a rich black colour. Should there be any difficulty in obtaining the dye, gas black may be used. This can be obtaine 1 by boiling a pot or kettle over a gas burner, hanging it so that it nearly touches the burner. The fine jet black which forms at the bottom of the pot or kettle should be removed when cold, and mixed with the varnish-sufficient to give it a good black colour. The above gives a fairly bright surface, which can be dulled by omitting, or reducing the quantity of, the resin.

It should be applied with a. camel-hair brush.