27 



illustrations, trusting that they may be found to make up 

 in accuracy, what they imquestionabJy lack in ornament. 



The preparation of the foot for receiving the shoe has 

 been so fully treated of in the body of the book, that it 

 is needless to advert to it further in this place ; I will 

 therefore at once pass on to the selection of a shoe. Every 

 forge is expected to contain a supply of shoes, technically 

 described, as "turned in the rough," varying in size, weight, 

 thickness, and width of web, from which to make a selection ; 

 this selection frequently calls for the exercise of a very nice 

 discrimination on the part of the smith, so as exactly to accom- 

 modate the shoe to the requirements of the foot, about to be shod. 

 A foot for instance wltli weak crust and flat sole will demand a 

 broad web, considerably seated on the foot surface ; wliile a 

 strong foot with an arched sole requires only a moderate width 

 of web, and little, or in many cases no seating on the foot surface. 



In the first case, if it were not for the space afforded 

 by the seating, the shoe would press upon, and bruise the 

 sole, whereas m the latter, if tlie seating were to be per- 

 mitted, precisely the same eSect would be produced by the 

 admission of dirt and gravel between it and the shoe ; so 

 that qualities, which are absolutely essential for one class of 

 feet, are sometimes positively injurious to another. 



Tlie readiest way of determining the amount of seating, 

 required for any particular foot, is first to apply the shoe " in 

 the rough," and, if there be enough spare for a picker to pass 

 freely round between it and the sole, there need be no appre- 

 hension of their ever coming into injurious contact, while more 

 space would engender the very miscMef, which it was designed 



