To prevent evaporation from cans once opened, it is well to keep them partly filled with water and the water covered with a little oil.

For use, the pigments are thinned with turpentine or benzine, in the proportion of one pound of color to one-half gallon of turpentine or benzine.
Benzine is much cheaper than turpentine, but evaporates more quickly.
The addition of a little boiled oil gives a body to the stain, so that when the wood is well rubbed down a soft lustre can be had without any further finish.

The stain should be applied with a brush to the wood, which may then be rubbed clean with cotton waste.

Oil stains penetrate hard woods better when the wood has first been fumed in ammonia.

(See below, p.