HAENESS ROOMS. 



391 



tlie ceiling, capable of holding two or more large candles, or an 

 oil lamp, with a strong reflector, so as to aflford ample light for 

 night cleaning of late horses ; and horn or globe-glass hand lan- 

 terns, for ordinary use. No candle should ever be carried into 

 a stable uncovered, nor any smoking either of cigars or pipes 

 allowed, as the smell is not agreeable to the horses, however 

 it may be to the men, and there is always danger of their com- 

 municating fire to the straw. 



When the iron ware, steel bits, stirrups, and such like imple- 

 ments of a stable are likely to be lying idle and out of use for 

 some time, they may be preserved from rust by throwing them 

 into a barrel of lime, which has been slacked some time before, 

 and let to die ; but I do not recommend the practice, as it en- 

 courages laziness and slovenly habits in grooms, which cannot 

 be too strongly reprobated ; and a harness-room never looks so 

 well, or affords so much pride and satisfaction to a good servant 

 as when it is full of well-cleaned saddles and harness, and re- 

 splendent with steel bits, stirrup-irons, curb-chains, spurs and 

 hames all bright, shining and redolent of elbow grease — saddle 

 benches may be fastened to the walls on high to save room, 

 but when so situated the saddles are too apt to be out of sight 

 out of mind, and to be covered with layers of deep dust. 



The accompanying cut shows a neat and convenient stand or 

 bench for saddles 

 and bridles, to 

 which a shelf may 

 be added below, 

 guarded by edges 

 like a tray, for 

 containing brush- 

 es, currycombs, 

 chamois leathers, 

 sponges, dustersj 

 and such little 

 needful appurte- 

 nances of the sta- 

 ble, as cannot be 

 spared, and as 

 ought to have, 



