Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1869 — Preservation of Harness and Carriages. [ARTICLE]

Preservation of Harness and Carriages.

, A l arge portion of those who own harness afid carriages, either through ignorance or carelessness, pay so little attention to their preservation, that in a few months they generally look soiled and old. If proper care is taken, this may. ue avoided The principal difficulty results from allowing the mud to remain on for a long time or from the manner in washing it off, and we will give a few hints about keeping harness and carriages in good order. Those who have the care of harness need not be troubled to prevent it from getting wet, for leather, if in good condition, is seldom injured by water. Care should be taken however to hang up the not allow it to be thrown into a heap on the floor, to lie and taould, instead of drying < ff The leather should be kept fairly oiled, but the harness sluuld first be taken apart and washed with' soft water, and the oil may be rubbed in while the leather is moist, care being taken that the applies tion is thoroughly made. For this purpose neats-foot oil is considered the best. If the harness also needs blacking, a little lamp-black should be added to the oil; and the rubbing should be continued until a white cloth may be used in wiping off the harness without being soiled. Leather varnish should never be used on harness. In cleaning the plating, rotten ■tone or whiting may be used, but gener-

ally an occasional rubbing off with a woolen cloth will be all that is necessary. Ths first thing to rem&nber Incleanlog a carriage is that ths mad which may accumulate is not to be taken off by rubbing ; if it is dry, (and it should never be allowed to become go if it is possible to prevent it,) soak it well and let it get soft, *0 that by throwing on water it will run off After the carriage has been thus thoroughly rinsed off? and the corners cleaned ont, the work may be finished with a pail of .clean cold water and agood sponge; if the sponge is not clean it will be likely to scratch the paint. After washing, a piece of chamois skin should be used to rub all the paint and polished work until it is thoroughly dry. It is hardly necessary to say that no one who cares at all for a nice looking carriage will ever leave dirt in the corners. There need be no fear of washing a carriage too often ; if washed every time it is run oui, and dried well with a ch am ois, there will generally be less trouble about the cracking of paint. But the care of a carriage does not end with the washing. A suitable room to keep it in is always a very important consideration. A coach house that is not properly ventila ted, or in a damp place, where steam of any kind passes through it, will, in a short time, furnish the opportunity for destroy ing the best painted carriage ever made; in these cases it is too common to attribute the fault,to the painter.— American Stock Journal. '