In fitting the second insole of a French cork boot where a box and rand are sewn in, last the boot in the ordinary way, taking care that the feather is nice and even, and that there is a good innersole to work upon. For the box, a piece of first cut is cut the required length, say from 12 in. to 14 in., and about 3/8in. wide. Mark a line, as A B (Fig. 1), on the grain side of the leather, 1/8 in. from the edge, and cut it through a little way, then serve the reverse side in a similar manner, as at C. The leather should be damped, and the cuts made larger with a channel opener, a welt plough or knife beingusedto cutathin strip of grainfrom the narrow side as at D. Or the box can be worked with one bevel edge (see E, Fig. 2). Instead of sewing in' a welt, the box can be sewn in, and in doing this the awl will go in at A (Fig. 1) and come out at C. The piece taken out at D will admit of the box lying close to the upper, while the channel at C allows the stitch to sink in. If a box like Fig. 2 is used, the awl should go in at the dotted line on the bevel edge E and come out at P. This is also shown by the dotted lines G and H in Fig. 3, which is a transverse section of nearly the whole of the middle portion of the boot. Thus the awl goes in the innersole at J just as for a welt. When the box is sewn in all round, it can be gently hammered down, trimmed, and ironed up, as shown by the dotted line K. The welt, as shown at L (Fig. 3), is sewn in as follows: - Starting at the heel, sew up the waist to where it meets the box. Between these stitches put the awl under each loop, letting it grip the innersole and come out on the top of the box, thus sewing in the welt, and on to this the sole will be stitched as at M, N. A very thin layer of felt is put in, and the remainder filled up with sheet cork, excepting another thin layer of felt to keep the boot from creaking when the outer sole is put on.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3. Making French Cork Boot.