CH. XI CARE OF HARNESS 243 



No varnish should be used ; it hardens the leather, 

 and soon cracks, and looks shabby. 



Patent leather should be wiped and polished with 

 a soft rag and a little oil, or vaseline, but the wax 

 preparation should not be used on it. 



In damp weather a fire is essential in or near the 

 harness-room. Cleaning should not be done in the 

 harness-room, but a light, airy place of sufficient 

 size for the purpose is necessary to secure the best 

 results. Iron rods terminating in hooked ends of 

 good size, covered with leather, and of such a length 

 as will bring the pieces of harness to a proper 

 height for a man to work at them when the rods 

 are hung to hooks in the ceiling, will be found more 

 convenient for holding- harness while it is being 

 cleaned, than the trestles or horses which are gen- 

 erally used. There should be rods of two lengths, 

 a short one to hold the collar, &c, and a longer one 

 to hold the bridle. When not in use they may be 

 unhooked and hung against the wall out of the way. 



The steel pole-chains, bits, and curb-chains should 

 be washed and dropped into a covered vessel con- 

 taining lime-water, which is made by dissolving in 

 water as much common lime as the water will take 

 up, and pouring off, for use, the clear liquid. In 

 this they can remain for any length of time without 

 rusting, and the chains in every-day use may be 

 kept in the vessel, and taken out only when wanted. 

 They are then roughly dried and put into a long 

 bag with a little sawdust and fine sand, and shaken 



