For the belly-band D, a pair of 3-in. chains is required, and the leather must be cut 3 ft. 4 in. by 3 in. Turn in 4 in. at the ends, and shave, edge, black, and crease them; then put the leather into the openings in the chains, stitch four rows along the double part, and spot or stitch across near the chain.
The set of shaft and chain gear, as described in Chapters V. to VIII., is now complete. The chains are attached to the shaft harness or jambles to pull from the shaft, while the leader harness has only a hook for hitching the chain traces.
CHAPTER IX.
PLOUGH HARNESS.
In plough gears the ordinary bridle and collar are employed. The back-band is made in various ways. The method with hooks is taken first. The eye of the hook (Fig. 105, p. [109]) is 4 in. wide. Cut the leather 3 ft. 9 in. long and 4 in. wide; turn down 3 in. at each end, and beat the bend slightly with the hammer to keep it down, and crease it with the screw-race, making two rows on each side; mark the centre from each end, and draw a line straight across at this point, then two lines each 5 in. from the centre, so that the distance between them will be 10 in.
Cut two pieces of leather 10½ in. long and ¾ in. wide; dye and crease one side of each piece, having previously cut a small piece out of each corner of the side being worked. A line must then be drawn with the compasses along the centre of this narrow piece. Make a mark across the centre, and place it underneath the back-band, centre to centre, as far as the line just drawn; tack it down for stitching, and place the other piece in the same manner on the other side, so that the pieces may be a little over both lower lines at each end. This piece is called the facing; the place on the back-band where the pieces are to be stitched is pricked out before tacking them down. The work of stitching is now commenced, care being taken to keep the line close to the edge of the back-band; make the thread of three or four cords of coarse hemp.
Having a 1½-in. tinned dee at hand, cut a piece of leather 1½ in. by 4 in.; shave and point both ends, then crease, black, and prick them like the side, with eight or ten marks per inch. Place the dee in the centre of this piece, and lay it flat on the back-band in the centre, measured from both sides, or from the top line to either of the lines below, and then stitch, having tacked it down. When ploughing is being done, the rein is run through this dee, and there must be one dee on each back-band on the opposite side when the horses work in pairs, but for a single horse there is one on each side of the same back-band.
The next part to be made is the panel, used for preventing soreness of the back of the animal when ploughing, brought about by the constant pressure in one place. Take a piece of linen, or basil leather, 14 in. by 7 in., and lay the back-band on it centre to centre, and evenly over both sides; make the spot stitch thus // // // across the back-band, and through the linen along the middle line. Then the partition between the two sides will show the object of these facings, which make the pad slightly wider than the back-band, and so ease the horse’s back.
Having stitched across the centre, turn in the lining all round about ½ in.; if, however, the material employed is basil, no turning is required. Make a pleat at each corner of the end of the facing, making both exactly the same length; put another pleat opposite the first, so that the width may be the same as that of the back-band and facing combined.
If the panel is basil, the corner is cut off to obtain the true length, and then stitched together where the cut was made instead of making a pleat. Now begin to stitch all round, commencing about 1½ in. from the centre on one side so as to have an opening for stuffing. Work round along the cross lines at the bottom until within 1½ in. of the centre of the other side in a direct line from the starting point. Spot-stitching is executed in the usual style.
Stuffing is the next operation, the flock being put through the opening left on each side of the centre line. Lay the back-band flat on the bench and stuff each side rather tightly by the aid of the stuffing-stick; the leather side of the back-band is underneath, whilst the openings are near the edge of the bench. Smooth well towards the sides, and flatten with a mallet, and continue the stitching along the opening to the starting-point; this completes the top.