38 THE HARNESS ROOM. 



THE WASH ROOM OR STAND. 



The wash room or stand should be removed as far as 

 possible from the carriages and harness. A flooring of brick, 

 asphalt, concrete or cement is better than one of wood, and 

 should have a good pitch to some free conduit for the waste 

 water. At some central point there should be placed a cold- 

 water faucet, a hose bracket, a chamois bracket, a wringer 

 and a sponge rack. The wash-stand should be well lighted 

 on all sides, if possible, by windows, and artificially lighted 

 at night or on dark days, as it is manifestly unfair to expect 

 a servant to clean a vehicle in the dark or with the light only 

 on one side. The objection to having a wash-stand in the 

 coach house is that the dampness occasioned by the con- 

 stant use of water injures the woodwork of the vehicles, mil- 

 dews the leather and tarnishes the metal work. 



THE HARNESS ROOM. 



The harness room should be so designed that the wall 

 surface will be unbroken except by a window at one end and 

 a door at the other or on the side. The sheathing should 

 be of hard wood, tongued and grooved, to keep out dust. It 

 is desirable to have the floor of oak. An open fireplace or 

 provision for a stove is very necessary in order to protect the 

 leather from mildew, the mountings from tarnishing, and the 

 bits and other steel from becoming rusty in damp weather. 

 Harness cases are unnecessary, except for the purpose of 

 storing harness. Such cases do not afford a complete pro- 

 tection against dampness. The brackets should be preferably 

 of wood. Brackets made of the latter material are less de- 

 structive than those made of iron (see figs. 13-16.) 



