STABLE UTENSILS. 253 



ordinary scissors, and a hurricane lamp. If maize be used, a 

 corn crusher (kibbling machine) will be required. A wheel- 

 lifting jack, and possibly a spoke-brush and mop (p. 367) will 

 be needed for a carriage ; and a corn cleaning machine 

 (p. 114) may be added to the utensils of a large stable. 



The birch-broom will be for use outside the stable ; the bass- 

 broom, inside. 



The ends of a stable fork should terminate in round knobs, 



Fig. 28. Skep or dung basket. 



so that the horse may not get injured by them, as not un- 

 frequently happens, both accidentally, and through loss of 

 temper. Usually, the handle is much too long, and is more 

 suited for loading a cart with hay or for making a hay-stack, 

 than for arranging bedding. 



A skep is either a basket or sheet iron receptacle for dung. 

 I prefer the basket form, as it is not liable to hurt a horse in 

 the event of his knocking up against it. The best kind of 

 skep I have seen is one of wicker work which is made in 



