The woods best adapted for ebonizing are sycamore and chestnut, the work should be very well smoothed and rubbed with glass paper before staining, and should be finally rubbed with glass paper or cloth which has been a long time in use, every particle of dust being rubbed off with a smooth cloth.

Boil 1/2 pound of logwood chips in 3 quarts of water, and add 1 ounce of pearlash. Apply this whilst hot, then boil 1/2 pound of logwood chips in 3 quarts of water, and add 1/2 ounce verdigris, 1/2 ounce copperas, strain the liquid, and then add 1/2 pound rusty steel filings and some powdered nut-galls, and with this go over the wood a second time. When dry, the work is to be well rubbed down, and if the color should appear uneven, the second stain must be repeated, in which case it must be again rubbed down. French polish, made darker than usual by the addition of finely powdered stone blue or indigo, is then to be used. Or, the black stain first mentioned to be first applied, then a plate or slate is to be held over a lamp until a quantity of the soot has formed, this, which is fine lamp black, is to be collected and mixed with French polish, which is then to be used in the ordinary manner. This, too, may be repeated if required, the work having been previously well rubbed down.

Boil in a glazed pipkin a handful of logwood chips to 1 pint of rain-water, allowing it to simmer until reduced by about one-fourth, and with this liquid give the wood two or three coats. Now add to the remainder of the liquid two bruised nut-galls, a few very rusty nails, or a piece of sulphate of iron about the size of a pigeon's egg, and add rainwater until the original quantity of liquid is made up. This stain is to be applied hot, and the work is to be French-polished, a little blue having been previously mixed with the polish.