in India than in England, especially during the hot season, when
the fierce dry heat will dry up and perish all sorts of leather; and in
the rains, especially in Southern India, where the atmosphere is so loaded
with moisture that leather, put on one side and neglected for a very few
days, soon becomes covered with mildew. There are no saddle rooms in
Indian stables, and it is usual to keep them in a corner of a room in the
house on a wooden saddle-stand, called by natives a "ghorra" horse. In the
rains, a pan or brazier of burning charcoal should be kept in the room for
a few hours daily, if there is not a fire-place. Saddles are cleaned in
the same way as in England, and excellent saddle soap and dubbing is made
by the North-west Province Soap Works at Meerut, and can be obtained
almost anywhere. If this is not used, the "syces" can always make up
dubbing of their own, called "momrogan." Some people give their head
"syce" a monthly allowance to provide dubbing, soap, bathbrick, oil, etc.;
but as they frequently put lime and bleaching materials with it, I prefer
to buy it myself, and let them get the other articles. They require a
chamoise leather and a burnisher for steel-work, but one of each will do
for a stable of half a dozen horses, and very good country-made leathers
(sabur) can be got for from one to one and a half rupees. The soap is put
on to and rubbed into leather-work with the hands; but the great fault
they have is that they will put on too much, and won't work it in enough,
and one's breeches and hands will get into a great mess.

Saddle Covers (_buk bund_).

A sheet, made out of a description of coarse country cloth (karwah), is
necessary for each saddle or set of harness, to wrap it up in, and keep
the dust and dirt off. It should be sufficiently large to wrap the saddle
up in completely, and in the summer the "syce" can bring it with him to
act as a horse-cloth to throw over the quarters when standing about.
These saddle-sheets can be made by any tailor in a few hours.

Bridles.

Bridles, double (dahna), snaffle (kazai), can be hung up on the walls, but
a piece of cloth or a few sheets of paper should be fastened up behind
them; and they should be frequently taken down if not in daily use, as the
white ants are most destructive. It is best to have one or two extra
saddle-stands made with pegs on them, and to hang the bridles on them in
the middle of the room, away from the walls. This may be a l