38 MANUAL OF PACK TRANSPORTATION. 



correspond to its proper numerical position in the panel, counting 

 from the collar to the rear. Each rib is also stamped with the size 

 of the aparejo for which it is made. The aparejos are furnished in 

 58, 60, and 62 inch sizes. The ribs for a 60-inch aparejo are there- 

 fore marked 1-60, 2-60, 3-60, etc. Should repairs or alterations 

 make it necessary to rib up, the butt of the fifth rib is seated in its 

 slot, the overlaj) at its slot in the saddle bar is marked and cut away, 

 and the other ribs are cut to the exact resultino; leno;th. 



2. To fill or pad. — Turn the aparejo over, belly pieces up; procure 

 about 6 pounds of fine, soft, elastic hay; taking a little at a time, 

 tease or ''mix" it carefully; insert it through the hand-hole, and 

 thus gradually fill the body of the aparejo with a smooth and even 

 layer not more than 2 inches thick. 



Note. — Other filling may be used in necessity, such as moss, ex- 

 celsior, curled hair, sea grass, but these substitutes are difficult of 

 manipulation in alteration necessary to accommodate the rigging to 

 injuries of the mule. By teasing or "mixing" is meant the arrange- 

 ment of the straws so that they will cross one another. The body of 

 the aparejo is that part which comes in contact with the body of the 

 mule. As 3 inches of the lower portion of each boot stick and 3 

 inches of the upper portion of each saddle bar must not come into 

 contact with the mule, no filling should be pressed within 3 inches of 

 the end of the boot or within 3 inches of the center stitch line. The 

 body course tapers, however, so as to overlap the boot stick and saddle 

 bar, and also tapers toward front and rear. 



3. To face or dress. — To adjust the aparejo more accurately to the 

 shape of the mule introduce filling and press it well into the corner 

 of the front boot; working toward the hand-hole, continue the fa- 

 cing along the boot stick and front edge, gradually increasing its 

 thickness to about an inch at 7 inches from the corner and forming 

 its inner edge into the arc of a circle concentric with the hand-hole, 

 the thickness tapering to the ends of the arc; continue this for 3 

 inches more toward the hand-hole, rapidly decreasing the thickness 

 to nothing; proceed in exactly the same way at the collar; under no 

 circumstances should the collar facing reach \nthin 7 inches of the 

 center of the hand-hole. Connect the front boot and collar facings 

 by a dressing along the front edge about 3 inches wide and an inch 

 thick, decreasing in thickness toward the hand-hole and toward the 

 middle of the edge. 



Note. — In facing up introduce the filling with the hand, palm 

 up, so as not to disturb the body course. In case the leather will not 

 yield enough to permit the filling to be introduced well into the cor- 

 ners, the tamping stick may be used to raise it. This stick, used with 

 the commercial aparejo, is 4 or 5 feet long, H inches in diameter, 

 wedge shaped for 4 inches from one end, the edge of the wedge being 

 about one-fourth inch thick and grooved. The object of the boot 

 facing is to cause the boot stick to carry horizontally and parallel to 

 the center of the mule and give free action to the mule's elbow. Mules 

 of large barrel will require a thicker facing than described. The 

 object of the collar facing is to cause the saddle bar to carry horizon- 

 tally and parallel with the center of the mule and to protect the 

 mule's withers. Mules with high withers will require a thicker fa- 

 cing than that described. In setting to the shape of the mule the 



