Alabaster is wrought, turned, and fashioned, in a nearly similar manner to the softer varieties of marble. The tools resemble those employed for the like operations in ivory and brass. Machinery is now often applied to this purpose. Alabaster is polished, first with pumice-stone, and then with a paste or pap made of whiting, soap, and milk or water; and lastly, with dry flannel. A better method, however, is to rub it first with dried shave-grass (equisetum), and afterwards with finely powdered and sifted slaked lime formed into a paste with water. The surface is then ‘finished off’ by friction with finely powdered talc or French chalk, until a satiny lustre is produced, or with putty powder, in a similar way to marble. Alabaster is engraved with tools resembling those employed for other soft minerals. It is etched by covering every part of the surface, except that to be acted on, with a solution of white wax in oil of turpentine (1 to 4), thickened with a little finely powdered white lead, and subsequent immersion in water acidulated with acetic acid or hydrochloric acid, for the calcareous variety; and in spring water, for 20 to 50 hours (according to the effect desired), for the gypseous variety. The varnish is washed off with oil of turpentine, and the etched parts carefully brushed over with finely powdered gypsum. Alabaster is joined and repaired by means of white of egg, or rice glue, thickened with finely powdered quicklime; or by a paste of newly baked and finely powdered gypsum, mixed up with the least possible quantity of water. Calcareous alabaster is usually cleaned with a brush and warm soap-and-water, or with tepid water to which a few grains of carbonate of soda or of ammonia have been added; followed in either case by rinsing in clean water. If much discoloured, thoroughly cover the article with a paste of freshly slaked lime and water, and let it remain twenty-four hours; then wash off the paste with soap and water, rubbing hard the stains. Delicate objects in gypseous alabaster can only be safely cleaned with benzol, or with pure oil of turpentine. If necessary, the surface must be repolished. Grease spots may be removed from either variety with a little benzol or oil of turpentine. Alabaster is occasionally stained or coloured, and, for the calcareous variety, in a similar way to marble, except that heat is not employed; and for the gypseous variety, in the manner noticed under PLASTER OF PARIS. The gypseous variety is also bronzed and hardened in a similar way to that adopted for casts in the latter substance.