degrees above that which surrounds it.

When wheels are used, they should be encased in a sheet iron or wood case.
All those made for our market are provided in this respect.

Keeping Buffs in Order.--This is one of the most important objects to arrest
the attention of the operator. Every buff is more or less liable to get
out of order by dust falling upon or coming in contact with the polishing
powder employed in cleaning the plate. The edge of every plate should be
thoroughly wiped and freed from any material that may adhere while cleaning.
I have adopted the following method, which proves highly successful:

Rub the buff leather, holding the face down, with the sharp
edge of a pair of shears or a piece of glass. This brings
out any portion of the skin which may have become matted from
any moisture, and also takes out any substance imbedded in it,
and prevents it from scratching. Then, with a stiff brush,
rub the buff well, and it will be found to work well.
This same process employ on wheels and hand buffs every morning,
or oftener, as occasion requires.

Preparing Buffs.--Two of these are necessary. That part of the stick to be
covered should be about eighteen or twenty inches long, and three wide,
and made crowning on the face from one end to the other, about one half inch.
Before covering, these are to be padded with two or three thicknesses of
Canton flannel. The buff should not be too hard, but padded with flannel,
so that by drawing it over the plate, it may touch across the surface.
The only proper material for buffs is prepared buckskin; and if prepared
in a proper manner, this needs nothing but to be tacked upon the stick.
There are several varieties of wheels employed; the one most generally