CHAP. IV.] BEARING OF THE SHOE. 497 



is a near assimilation of the French and English 

 shoes. Instead of adhering to the old practice of 

 fullering the ground surface of the common English 

 shoe, to admit of punching the nail holes therein, 

 it is the improved practice to hollow that surface, 

 and leave a shoulder towards the outer rim as a 

 protection to the nail heads. This is performed 

 by a tool resembling the head of a hammer, one 

 face whereof is well represented by the an- 

 nexed figure ; the lower part (at a) being 

 placed on the work, as is usual in fullering, 

 but nearly a quarter of an inch from the edge ; the 

 hammer is applied (at b), which leaves (at a) the 

 desired shoulder, and along that surface so far as 

 nailing is necessary, a hollowness equal to the 

 inner slope of the tool. This hollow is not in fact 

 any more than a wider fuller, extending the width 

 of the shoe, excepting the width of the rim left at 

 the outer edge ; though some do further prolong the 

 hollowing unadvisedly all round the toe, and to 

 within half an inch of the heel, whereby they leave 

 a slight caulking that never incommodes the animal, 

 but which may be increased in quantity and hard- 

 ness towards winter. The operation of hollowing 

 the ground surface just described produces a slight 

 convexity upon the foot surface three-fourths of 

 the shoe's width, leaving the outer fourth still 

 flat to receive the bearing of the horn. This 

 agrees tolerably well with Mr. Teast's plan ; for 

 hereby also the wall was pressed outwards, when 

 it grew up to the convexity, and its expansion was 



