£88 THE HORSE. 
these are sufficient to interfere with the use of the horse, and, irrespective 
of other reasons, as domestic comfort is greatly dependent on the carriage 
being always at command, the stables should not be sacrificed, as they too 
often are, to a fancy for keeping them out of sight. 
IN CHOOSING THE SITUATION, therefore, a spot should be looked out 
which will be high enough to allow of perfect drainage at all seasons of 
the year. No periodically overflowing brook should ever be allowed to 
discharge its contents into the foundations, for even if the floor of the 
stable itself is kept above the water, yet the soil underneath will be 
saturated, and acting like a sponge, will allow the damp to creep up the 
walls incessantly. Sometimes, in order to keep the stables well out of sight, 
a hollow is chosen, and the floor is then excavated below the level of the 
surrounding surface. The consequence is, that even in a summer-storm, 
the rain-fall of the surrounding land finds its way—either into the stable, 
or around it; and the effect is equally injurious in either. Concrete 
under the floor, and courses of slate at the bottom of the walls, will da 
something to meet the evil; but it is better to avoid it altogether by 
choosing a site at least two or three feet out of the way of all flood-water, 
and with a good fall into a sewer or adjacent running stream. 
AS TO THE ASPECT, there is some difference of opinion whether it 
should be northerly or southerly, all being adverse to a direction either due 
east or west ; the former being too cold, and the latter too hot. As far 
as I know, all writers on the subject have preferred a southerly aspect, 
until the recent appearance of Mr. Miles’ “‘ General Remarks on Stables,” in 
which valuable work an opinion is expressed that “the prevailing desire 
to have the front of the stable due south is a mistake.” The reasons for 
coming to this conclusion are grounded upon the fact, which is undeniable, 
that a more even temperature can be maintained if the situation is suffi- 
ciently sheltered from the stroke of the wind. No doubt, a southerly 
aspect allows the sun to enter with great power in the summer ; but my 
experience does not lead me to believe that flies are less likely to get in 
through a door or window open to the north, than through similar openings 
looking south. Mr. Miles even objects to the heat of a winter’s sun, 
which, he says, in the middle of the day makes the stable almost as hot 
as in the summer ; the heat being often suddenly succeeded by a degree 
of cold approaching the freezing point. Here, again, I certainly cannot 
follow him, and I should hail with pleasure any beams of the sun which 
show themselves between November and March, either in the stable or 
kennel. Animal life is always benefited by the direct rays of the sun, 
although, when the heat produced by them is intense, the mischief done 
is so great as to counteract the advantage. Still, in the winters of this 
country, such a thing is not, in my opinion, to be dreamt of, as a properly 
ventilated stable becoming too hot, and I look upon Mr. Miles’ conclusions 
as being considerably strained when he is arguing in favour of a northerly 
aspect. JI do not mean to assert that, on the whole, he is wrong, but 
that his arguments are based upon certain assumed facts which I hesitate 
to accept. It should not be forgotten that his own stable, which is 
undoubtedly a pet one, was accidentally built to face the north ; and, there- 
fore, while, on the one hand, his experience of the advantages of this 
aspect should be accepted with all respect; on the other, it may be 
ecnceded that he naturally has a tendency to overlook the disadvantages 
because they are inevitable. 
