1902. For the first experiments, common yellow wax may be used as the material, or the ends of half-burnt wax-candles. The materials of the hard (not tallow) composition mould candles will also answer.

1903. Every large object to be imitated in wax should be cast hollow; and therefore, though the transparent lightness required in the imitation of fruits is not requisite in an artificial egg, we shall east the egg upon the same principle as a fruit.

1st. - The two pieces of the plaster of Paris mould must be soaked in hot water for ten minutes.

2nd. - The wax should in the meantime be very slowly melted in a small tin saucepan, with a, spout to it, care being taken not to allow it to boil, or it will be discoloured. As to the quantity of wax to be melted, the following is a general rule: - If a lump, the size of the object to be imitated, be placed in the saucepan, it should be sufficient for casting twice, at least.

3d. - As soon as the wax is melted thoroughly, place the saucepan on the hob of the grate, and taking the parts of the mould from the hot water, remove the moisture from their surfaces by pressing them gently with a handkerchief or soft cloth. It is necessary to use what is called in some of the arts "a very light hand" in this operation, especially in drying moulds of fruits, whose aspect possesses characteristic irregularities - such as those on the orange, the lemon, or the cucumber. The mould must not be wiped but only pressed. If the router has not been hot enough, or if the drying is not performed quickly, the mould will be too cold, and the wax will congeal too rapidly, and settle in ridges and streaks; on the other hand, if the wax has been made too hot, it will adhere to the mould, and refuse to come out entire.

4th. - Having laid the two halves of the mould so that there can be no mistake in fitting the one in its exact place quickly on the other, pour from the saucepan into one of the half moulds nearly as much wax as will fill the hollow made by the model (egg), quickly fit the other half on the top of it, squeeze the two pieces tightly together in the hand, and still holding them thus, turn them over in every possible position, so that the wax which is slowly congealing in the internal hollow of the mould may be of equal thickness in all parts. Having continued this process at least two minutes, the hands still holding and turning the mould) may be immersed in cold water to accelerate the cooling process. The perfect congealment of the wax may be known, after a little experience, by the absence of the sound of fluid on shaking the mould.

5th. - As soon as the mould is completely cooled, the halves may be separated carefully, the upper being lifted straight up from the under, and if the operation has been properly managed, a waxen egg will be turned out of the mould.

sth - The egg will only require trim-ding, that is, removing the ridge which marks the line at which the halves of the mould joined, and polishing out the scratches or inequalities left by the knife with a piece of softrag, wet with spirits of turpentine or spirits of wine.

1904. It is always desirable, when the materials and moulds are prepared, to make several castings of the same object, as the moulds are apt to get chipped when laid by in a cupboard; and for this reason, as well as for the sake of practice, we recommend our pupils to make at least a dozen waxen eggs before they proceed to any other object. If they succeed in this completely, they may rest assured that every difficulty which is likely to meet them in any future operations will be easily overcome.

That these results of experiment may be rendered correct imitations of the object from whose form they were modelled, we shall now add a few further directions: -