f It is well to caution the coachman to wrap his
wrench and the other implements which he may carry in the carriage in a cloth, as they are often the cause of some apparently inexplicable rattling.
It is cheapest, in the long run, to have carriages which are in constant use sent to the coachbuilder for varnishing, examination, etc., at least once a year; and carriages which have been allowed to stand unused in the stable for several months should always be examined by a coachbuilder, and any trifles which require attention should be adjusted before they run
again. The loosening of a single nut, and any trifling
accumulation of rust between the leaves of the springs, will cause a squeaking and rattling, and are often productive of more serious ous trouble
fF.
It is therefore "penny wise and pound foolish" to neglect these things. Nothing affects a carriage more injuriously than a damp coach house, as the swelling of the wood is liable to burst the panels, etc. Where a coachman is aware that his coach house is somewhat damp, he should be particular to stand his carriages away as far as possible from any stone or brick wall, so that they may have the freest possible circulation of air.
Unless this subject has been given close attention, it is difficult to have the slightest conception of the many little ways in which a poor coachman can run up an
THE STABLE.
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