The practice of staining the margin left on the stairs at the side of the carpet and round the outer edge of a room carpeted with an art square has, from a sanitary point of view, much to commend it. A rich brown tone harmonises well with most carpets, but there is no apparent reason why other colours, as mahogany or pine, may not be used. A perfect match is not aimed at, as a good contrast does equally as well. To remove any dirt or grease, the floor should be well cleansed with warm water, in which has been dissolved a little common washing soda, not soap or powder. When quite dry, the floor is ready for the stain. Permanganate of potash will yield shades varying from light oak to dark walnut. One pennyworth dissolved in 1 qt. of water is about the quantity for a living-room or bedroom of ordinary size. When the stain is too light, apply a second coat, or add more potash. Best results are gained by two applications. Another simple plan is to use an ordinary walnut stain, say Vandyke brown, mixed in a rather strong solution of common washing soda - one teacupful to 1 gal. of water; apply with a brush and rub well in with a rag, finishing off the long way of the boards. Brush-marks or a patchy appearance are thus avoided.

If mahogany colour is desired, mix burnt sienna- which may be bought at paint stores ground in water-in equal parts of stale beer and water. For pine colour, use raw sienna; common malt vinegar is also useful to mix them with. For a rosewood colour, take 2 oz. extract of logwood, 1/2 lb. red sanders; boil in 1 gal. of water for an hour, .strain through canvas or muslin, then add alum 1 oz.; apply hot. This imparts a reddish tone. To impart a darker tone, brush over again with logwood stain only; 2oz. extract to 1 qt. If required still darker, or with dark streaks, add 2 oz. of blue or green copperas to the logwood solution. Floors thus stained should be afterwards brushed over with glue size, to prevent the varnish sinking in, and the nail-holes then filled up with putty coloured to match, then given two or three coats of spirit varnish, or a good quality oak varnish as used by house painters. When it is desired to stain and varnish a room in one day, a combined stain and varnish is used. Dissolve loz. orange shellac in lpt. methylated spirits; then add as much dry brown umber or vandyke as will give the tone desired in at most two applications; apply evenly with a large camel-hair brush.

It is well to bear in mind that where putty is used, it must always be used after stain size or a first coat of varnish; its oily nature prevents the stain, etc., striking into the wood and causing a patchy appearance. Spirit varnishes should be applied with camel-hair brushes, oak or oil varnish with hog-hair brushes. So that the varnished surface shall not be scratched, glue small pieces of washleather or cloth on the legs of the chairs.