The book must be pressed for pasting the edges, and the paste color must not be laid on too thickly or it will spring off when dry.

Colored as well as paste edges will take gold tooling and afford considerable scope to the skilful and thoughtful workman.

The finest way of finishing edges and greatest variety of treatment is known as a special process.

Formerly regarded as a secret art, it is now an easily acquired branch of our work, thanks to the careful experiments and excellent demonstrations of the master bookbinder, Herr Joseph Halfer, of Buda Pesth.

The whole process of marbling depends upon the peculiarity possessed by colors of floating upon a sized surface when they are mixed with oxgall, and a color containing more gall forcing off the one first applied. Besides, the colors may be drawn about with a pencil or stick without their mixing. If the smooth edges of a book are brought into contact with such a floating surface-color they will take up the colors completely.

Ground and color must each have certain fixed degrees of consistency, and the atmosphere both in and out of doors has also a great influence upon the work.

The prepared body, shortly known as "the body," is at present always composed of boiled Carrageen moss. To every litre of water exactly 12 g. are added and the liquid is put in a saucepan, which is never used for any other purpose, and placed on the fire, great care being taken to catch it just at boiling point or it will all boil over. At the right moment take the saucepan from the fire and strain the contents through a hair sieve, what remains being thrown away as useless. The body may be use41. the next day, but for figured edges it is better after having been kept three days, and for veined marbling five days. The vessel containing the body must be kept covered so as to exclude all dust.

Gum tragacanth (known as "gum dragon") can also be used as a body, but HaIfer's colours are not intended to be used with this.

A marbling trough to contain the body is used whilst working; it is made of zinc plate, is about 15 cm. in width, 50 cm. in length, and 3 cm. in depth, and has a sloping partition soldered near one end, and the color not taken up is drawn into the division thus made.

A bowl, about 6 cm. across the top, is kept for each color, and also a hog's-hair brush and a birch-twig brush.
A small bundle of birch twigs is tied round with thread, leaving about 4 cm. of the twigs free, the thickness of the lowest part tied not exceeding 1 cm. The bristles of the brush are tied back so as to form loops and held awhile in boiling water so that they retain their shape after drying and untying. With a brush made up in this way, drops may be laid on anywhere.

For all drawn out edges only bristle brushes are used, whilst for all other edges a brush is used only for laying on the first color. For some edges a wide brush is used, so that the whole trough can be filled at one blow; a carpet brush with a short handle is most convenient to use.

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