In order to have boards of the right thickness, it is sometimes necessary to "make" them. This is effected by pasting one board over with thin paste, laying it on the other to which it is to be attached, and screwing them up in the press for a short time. In placing them to the book, the side formed of the thinnest board should go next to the book. This is done in order that the boards should bend to the book, not from it. With the same object, it is sometimes usual to paste a wrapper or piece of paper on the inside of a board, or a couple of crossed strips, as shown at Fig. 63: these will cause the board to warp towards them.

Let us return to our glued-up books. The glue should now be nearly dry; it must not be quite dry, but so nearly so that it does not retain any "tackiness," or it will stick to the hammer. We have now to round the book that is to say impart a curvature to the glued back. This is affected

by laying a volume on the cheek of the laying-press, placing the thumb of the left hand against the fore edge, and with the fingers of the same hand drawing the top end-paper and sections towards the workman, who, while he is performing these movements, gently strikes the edges of the back of the book with the backing hammer (Fig. 64). This is done to both sides, and is an important operation. Many people (not practical) have conjectured how the graceful concavity of the fore edge of a book is produced, and why it should correspond so perfectly with the convexity of the back. The secret lies in the present operation and one or two others about to be described.

We have said nothing about the proper thickness of -board for each description of binding, because no useful rule can be given. This must be a matter of individual judgment. A half bound book requires a thicker board than does cloth, and whole bound thicker than that for half; also, as a matter of course, a large book requires thicker boards than a small one, and a thick book thicker boards than a thin book.

Here let me impress upon the amateur binder the importance of closely inspecting every well-bound book that comes into his hands, whether in libraries or booksellers' shops. He may thus learn much of the minutiae of good work, the proper thickness of boards amongst them.

A little thought will show that when the boards are placed to the book, those of them that are thick will project beyond the back, and make a stiff and awkward hinge. To obviate' this, the book must be "backed” that is to say, a groove must be formed at the back for the board to repose in. For this purpose, the

book is held in the left hand, tail from operator, and a backing board placed at its side, at a suitable distance from the back to make a groove of sufficient depth for the millboards (Fig. 65). The book is then turned, and another backing-board placed to it in the same manner.

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