HAR]S^ESS AND VEHICLES. 101 



first, for they contain nitric acid. A five-cent bottle of ink will go 

 a long way in blackening a harness, and it is cheaper to use it than 

 to make blacking for one harness alone. When the ink or blacking 

 is dry, every strap should be oiled, and after lying until the next 

 day, rubbed dry. Lamp-black or other pigment should never be 

 mixed with the oil, to rub off and smut everything that touches it. 

 A French cirage for harness is made as follows : Melt one pound of 

 beeswax; add two ounces of litharge, and stir until thoroughly 

 incorporated ; let the mixture partly cool, and add three ounces of 

 fine ivory black ; heat up again until it boils, stirring continuously. 

 When nearly cool, add spirits of turpentine, to form a stiff paste. 

 After the harness is thoroughly cleaned, blackened and oiled, it is 

 given a dressing of this cirage, and rubbed with a soft shoe-brush 

 until it shines. 



A fly-net is a very necessary part of an outfit for driving in fly- 

 time. It protects the horse from much suffering and annoyance, 

 and thereby contributes greatly to the driver's peace of mind. 



CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES. 



From the '* one-hoss shay " of our grandfathers to the luxurious 

 vehicles of to-day is a long step. American road-wagons and other 

 light rigs are the best in the world. An attempt to describe or even 

 enumerate the various styles of carriages, buggies, wagons and 

 road-carts, which bear witness to the skill of American wheel- 

 wrights, would be vain. Most of the large establishments issue cata- 

 logues, which are furnished free on application. There are also 

 smaller shops in nearly every town, which turn out good work, and 

 rural dwellers generally find it advisable to patronize some near-by 

 establishment, rather than buy from a distimt and unknown maker. 

 Whatever the style of the vehicle — whether it is a light cart, a 

 capacious family carry-all, or anything between — good material and 

 conscientious workmanship are much the cheapest in the end. 

 Putty, paint and varnish may be made to cover a multitude of sins ; 

 and a flimsy, showy concern, which begins to call for repairs about 

 as soon as the first gloss is off, is dear at any price. 



The carriage should be kept in some place far enough from the 

 stable to escape its emanations. Ammoniacal gases arising from a 

 stable or manure heap will rapidly destroy the brilliancy of the best 

 varnish. When first brought home, the carriage should be washed 

 in cold soft water at least three times, to harden the vami&h, before 

 it is used. Hose should never be employed for this purpose, a soft 

 Bponge, free from grit, and a watering-pot being the proper means 



