CHAPTER II. 



ASSEMBLING AND CARE OF THE APAREJO. 

 SELECTION OF STICKS SUITABLE FOR RIBBING APAREJOS. 



Sec. 4. The selection of suitable sticks or withes to rib the aparejo 

 is usually governed by locahty, and as the willow is found in all the 

 States and Territories, it has been generally employed. While there 

 are five species of the willow family that may be considered suitable — 

 the gray, the black, the red, the button, and desert willows — the first 

 named is preferred, having less pith, being tougher and more springy, 

 straight as an arrow, and with few blemishes. Arrowwood and dog- 

 wood are found in Texas and Arizona, but are of scrubby growth. 

 When found suitable, however, they make a most excellent stick for 

 ribbing aparejos; it has less pith than the willow and holds Kfe or 

 spring longer, resembhng the guayaba found in Cuba and the Phihp- 

 pines — the best stick for ribbing aparejos that has been tested. Ash, 

 hickory, and pecan ^'sprouts" are a superior stick to an}^ of the 

 former, due to longer hfe in spring; these three last woods in sprout 

 form are not numerous, so that they may not be classed in the list of 

 available sticks for ribbing aparejos. 



The essential requisites in determining suitable sticks for ribbing 

 aparejos are toughness, spring, and taper, together with straightness 

 and freedom from knots and other blemishes. 



SELECTION OF HAY SUITABLE AS PADDING FOR APAREJOS. 



Sec. 5. For padding or filhng aparejos, nothing can compare with 

 suitable hay. For this purpose fine, soft, elastic hay that will admit 

 of mixing similar to curled hair is best suited as padding for aparejos. 



Such hay as furnished by breweries for packing bottles in barrels 

 answers this description, and no doubt can be procured in bale form. 



This class of hay has the elasticity of curled hair, and admits of 

 separation, straw by straw, a condition impossible in curled hair, 

 black moss or lichen, sea grass, and excelsior, an essential quality 

 when fixing for a "bunch." 



To sum up, any padding that has the hfe and spring of curled 

 hair, that will admit of separation when fixing for a bunch, without 

 disturbing the rest of the bed of hay in the aparejo can be classed 

 as suitable padding for aparejos. Tliis class of hay is termed by 

 p ackers ' ' ap are j o hay . ' ' 



SETTING ITP THE APAREJO. 



Sec. 6. First, soak the aparejo in tepid water, say from ten to 

 fifteen minutes (double the time if cold); take out and drain, and 

 place on bench or ground, and prepare two sticks, termed the "boot 

 sticks," of suitable hard wood 2U inches long, 24 inches wide, and 



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