The printer then takes one of the blocks, which he holds by a kind of leathern loop passing over the hand, and dabs it down on the wet cushion, whereby a tolerably thick layer of paint is caught up by all the projecting parts of the block. He proceeds to the long bench on which a portion of the prepared canvas is spread out, and stamps the block down upon the cloth, whereby the first germ of the pattern' is imparted. He holds in his right hand a very heavy hammer, with which he forces the block down into close contact with the cloth, as a

means of ensuring the transfer of the paint. A second impression is then effected with the same block close to the first, care being taken that the two impressions shall form one continuous pattern. The printing thus proceeds until the whole width of the piece correspond. ing with the length of the bench is printed, as far as one width of this block can do it. Then ensues the application of the second block, used with paint of a different colour; the block being pressed successively over every part of the cloth, as the first had been. In this second printing a twofold accuracy is required: first in respect to the successive applications of the same block across the width of the cloth; and next in reference to the junction of the colour in the proper relation to the colour of the preceding block; both of which are attained by attention to the guide-points fixed in the corners of every block.

When the whole of the blocks have been used in succession, and the entire printing effected across the cloth, and to a length of fifteen inches, the roller on which the cloth is wound is turned a little, by which the printed portion is allowed to fall down behind the bench, and a new portion to occupy the horizontal surface of the bench, after which the printing proceeds as before.-There is a long aperture in the floor of the printing-room, through which the cloth is allowed to descend as it is printed, and to hang down freely exposed to the air; new portions being unrolled from time to time, as the printing advances, and the finished portions fall lower and lower.

A slight examination of a piece of floor-cloth will show that there is nowhere a large smooth patch of paint, except in large plain patterns; but that the paint is laid on in little nodules or spots, technically called 'teeth,' from an eighth to a quarter of an inch square. The object of this plan is the following:-If a flat surface of wood, say two or three inches over, were dabbed down on a cushion covered with thick paint, the paint would be taken up very unequally, on account of a kind of adhesion between it and the block and cushion: it would be accumulated more plentifully near the centre than near the edges, and would look patchy and unequal when thus laid on the cloth. Instead of this plan, therefore, the surface of the wood is broken up into a number of smaller surfaces by means of little channels which act as air-holes, and which enable the paint to be taken up equably. We see that each of these little spots or 'teeth' has the paint very thick in its centre; this contributes to the durability of the cloth: but if a similar thing were

to occur with a surface an inch or two square, the effect would be very unsightly.

In printing passage floor-cloths of narrow but determinate breadths, the canvas is cut into strips after being prepared on the frames, and is then printed in the same manner as the other, with the exception that the border is printed by narrow blocks much smaller than the square ones. All the floor-cloths of either kind are allowed to hang suspended in the air in the drying-room until fit for use; when they are lowered, spread out on the floor, and cut or planned according to the purpose to which they are to be applied.

In concluding our brief notice of this interesting branch of manufacture, we may remark that floor-cloth is capable of being prepared in such a way as to form a very durable material for covering the roofs of houses. We have seen some which has been so employed for nearly twenty years, and is still in good condition.