414 HOME LIFE IN FLORIDA. 



or, if all right on these points, would refuse to allow itself 

 to be geared to a top-buggy ; occasionally they are not even 

 trained to the plow. As a general thing they are broken 

 to all these uses ; but it is well to be on the watch for the 

 exceptions that "prove the rule." It all depends upon 

 who trained the horses, and with what object in view ; for 

 some unambitious or lazy owners are quite content to break 

 their colts to the saddle only, depending on the older ani- 

 mals for use on the farm and road. 



And now as to a vehicle. Strange as it may appear, 

 there is hardly any other manufactured article, especially 

 one in such common use, of which the majority of people 

 know so little as to what goes to make up its true value 

 as the every-day wagon or carriage. Considering their cost 

 and the heavy amount of wear and tear they must neces- 

 sarily endure, people are ver}^ careless, as a rule, in their 

 purchases in this line, and there is too much of what we 

 may call random buying of unknown irresponsible builders. 

 To be serviceable and durable, nay, even to be safe, a ve- 

 hicle, whether Avagon, cart, or carriage, should be made 

 throughout of the best materials and best workmanship ; 

 these can only be assured by purchasing direct from a well- 

 known manufacturer who has a reputation to sustain, and 

 hence, for his own sake, is sure to see that his name is con- 

 nected only with honest, well-made articles. 



A large, expensive establishment, where thousands upon 

 thousands of dollars are at stake, can not afford to risk the 

 loss of the business on which so large an amount is depend- 

 ent, and hence can not safely deal otherwise than honestly. 

 We have seen so many badly built ' ' rattle-traps " in Flor- 

 ida, so-called "cheap," but to our mind very dear, at $40 

 to $50, that we have taken especial pains to look about 

 among the old reliable firms for vehicles suitable for our 

 sandy State — their first cost more than the sums named 



