100 STABLE MANAGEMENT. 



black harness properly, and if this is not done 

 nothing looks worse, whereas almost any native can 

 clean brown leather after a fashion, and even if it 

 does not stand close inspection, it will pass muster 

 at a little distance. Fairly good brown harness is 

 made out of country leather, and it does well 

 enough for rough work, but it never has the finish 

 of English. Country leather reins and country 

 bits should never be used; they are not reliable, 

 and are most dangerous ; these should always be 

 English. 



Carriages. 



The ordinary two-wheeled pony-trap or dogcart, 

 used in an up-country Indian station, is best var- 

 nished, not painted. The hot weather ruins paint, 

 and, unless in some of the very large towns, it is 

 nearly impossible to get them properly repainted 

 again. Any native workman can, however, varnish 

 a trap with white or copal varnish. Before allowing 

 new varnish to be put on, the trap should be pro- 

 duced for inspection with the old scraped off, as it 

 is a favourite trick to daub new varnish over the 

 old, when it cannot properly set, and the first hot 

 sun cracks and blisters it. In the hot weather a 

 large earthen basin, called a " naund," should be 



