We are well aware of the importance of a good mill stone to profitably flour wheat, and give this department the most careful attention. For a description of our method of building and backing up runner stones, we refer the reader to the article following, under the head of “Building and Balancing Runner Stones.” Where our customers prefer to do all the mill-wright work in their mill, we are prepared to make in addition to the burrs, such shafting, gearing, spindles, irons and machinery as they may need. [Illustration: BACK OF STONE.] Building and Balancing Stones. We put all runner stones on a point or cock-head, and keep them in balance while “backing up;” consequently they are as near in standing and running balance as they can be, by this means. We have testimony to the fact, that a number of stones we have made (all balanced upon the old plan of a cock-head at the center,) are in such perfect balance that if the wheat is exhausted in the hopper, the face of the runner _will not touch the bed-stone_. The importance of balancing on the true principle, is mostly overlooked. In a mill properly balanced, the stones will keep a better grinding face with one-half the time and labor required if they are not thus balanced. Particular attention must be paid to _keeping_ the runner in balance, as after leaving our works, the cement dries out in such a manner as to sometimes throw the runner out of both standing and running balance. For a description of the means we provide to do this important work of balancing, see the cuts and description under head of “Standing and Running Balance.” We put _iron backs_ on our under-runners, to protect the stone from wearing out of balance. Standing and Running Balance. Millers as a rule know that a stone in standing balance is not always in running balance, and _vice versa_, yet they are well aware that a stone should be in both. The reason these two balances do not always exist at the same time, or why the _light_ side of a stone standing should seem the _heavy_ side on running, is not clearly understood, and hence the difficulty in obviating the trouble. The importance of a correct standing balance and at the same time a true running balance, cannot well be over-estimated. Suppose the balancing weights in a runner are so adjusted that the stone stands in balance on the cock-head when raised above the bed-stone, but on starting, instead of its face remaining true and running steady, one side droops, and it runs with an apparent vibration or oscillation of the face. It will be found, however, upon examination, that it will always run with the same side low--going to show that the difficulty is centered in one certain point. [Illustration]