The direct way: The article should first be rendered free from rust by rubbing with emery-cloth, or by dipping it into a pickle composed of sulphuric acid 2 ozs., hydrochloric acid 1 <>/.., water 1 gal. After the article has remained some time in this pickle, it should be taken out and the rust removed by a brush and wet sand. If the oxide can not be easily cleaned off, it must be returned to the pickle. As soon as the article is rendered bright, it. is washed in a warm solution of soda, for the purpose of removing all grease. Lastly, it is well rinsed in hot water, and immediately placed in the plating solution, which should contain only about one fourth as much silver as that used for plating copper and brass articles. The battery power must also be weak. When the object receives a slight coating, the process may be carried on mo re rapidly by increasing the battery power, and by placing the article in a much stronger plating bath, using about 1 OZ. silver in a gallon of solution.

The indirect method consists in first coating the iron with copper, which insures success. Copper adheres firmly to iron, but silver does not; hence copper acts the part of a go-between. After the article has been cleaned, as above described, it in coated with copper by placing it in a solution composed of carbonate of potassa 4 ozs., sulphate of copper 2 ozs., liquid ammonia about 2 oz., cyanide of potassium 6 ozs., water about 1 gal. The sulphate of copper may be dissolved in warm rain-water, and. when cold, the carbonate of potassa and ammonia added: the precipitate when formed is redissolved. The cyanide of potassium should now be added, until the bluish color disappears. Should any precipitate be found in the bottom of the vessel, the clear solution may be poured off from it. The solution is worked cold, and with moderate battery power. Let the article remain in the bath until a thin film of copper is deposited, then remove quickly, rinse in hot water, and place in the silvering solution, where the process may go on as rapidly as if plating a copper article.