Where the grain is to show out plain it is not sustom-nry to stain the wool: staining blurs the natural grain, on account of one part absorbing more stain than another. The method usually adopted for vans, etc., is as follows: After the body is got up clean, and glass-paper marks across the panels have been removed, apply a good coat of pale gold size, to which about a tablespoonful of linseed oil to a pint of size has been added; let this stand a day or two, then lightly rub over with fine sand or glasspaper to take off the grain which will rise; then give another coat of gold size only. When hard, sandpaper off as before, and apply a coat of hard drying carriage varnish. Let this stand for a couple of days, and then flat down with ground pumice-stone and water, being careful to wash every particle of dust from the corners; then give a coat (or two coats if necessary) of best carriage varnish.