HAY CHAMBER AND GRANARY. 191 
uf the area which they require, extra width being necessary for the horse 
to turn round in, inasmuch as he cannot in them put his head over the 
travis, as he always does while turning in a stall. A full-sized animal 
must have his box at least 10 feet wide. by 12 long, which gives an area 
of 120 superficial feet, instead of 80 or 85, the area , required ‘for a. six-foot 
stall, including the gangway. Indeed, the above dimensions are scarcely 
large enough ‘for a box, a roomy one being from 15 to 18 feet long by 
at least ten feet wide. Again, the consumption of straw in a box is much 
greater than in a stall, the droppings of the horse not being deposited in 
any one place, as in ‘the latter, but scattered all over the surface, and 
spoiling the litter whereon they may happen to lie. For these reasons 
loose boxes are not introduced into any stables but those for racehorses, 
hunters, and in a certain proportion for hacks and carriage horses. In 
every large establishment a small number must be set aside for the sick 
and lame, but I am now solely discussing their merits as applied to horses 
doing work. 
HAY CHAMBER AND GRANARY. 
IN EVERY STABLE conducted economically, whether in town or country, 
a space should be allotted for storing hay, straw, and corn. In London 
and the large provincial cities and towns, the corn-chandler frequently 
supplies the stable by contract, at a fixed sum per horse, and in that case 
of course room for a week’s consumption only is required ; but, as I shall 
hereafter show, the plan is an expensive one. At present I shall take 
this for granted, referring my readers to the next chapter for proof of 
what I lay down as an admitted fact among horsekeepers of experience. 
Hay and straw are either sold by the ton or by the load, which is two 
ewt. less, and on that account the loft should always hold at least a ton 
of hay, and the same quantity of straw, because if a smaller bulk is pur- 
chased, it cannot be obtained at the regular market price. Now a ton of 
hay cut into trusses will nearly occupy the space over an ordinary loose 
box, supposing that the walls of the loft are not carried up far above the 
floor, and every additional yard in height of wall allows stowage for 
another ton. Straw occupies more space by nearly one-half, and it may 
be calculated that a loft formed entirely in a tiled roof of the usual pitch, 
must have an area equal to two roomy loose boxes, or two stalls and a 
box, to stow away a ton of hay and a ton of straw, and even then there 
will be little space for any other purpose. To find room for a corn- 
bruiser and chaff-cutter, as well as for a stock of oats and beans, a granary 
with an area at least as large as a loose box should be arranged, and with 
these conveniences a stable may be said to be complete—that is to say, 
with dry and airy stowage-room, somewhere, amounting altogether to about 
2,000 cubical feet. If the number of horses kept is larger than three or 
ae the hay-chamber need not generally be increased to any great extent, 
because the hay and corn are purchased by the ton or load; but it is 
often a great convenience to have accommodation for two or three months’ 
provender, and therefore it is always well to be provided with space enough 
for that purpose, if it can be so arranged. 
WITH THESE CALCULATIONS TO GUIDE HIM, the builder has next to 
consider where he shall fix the stowage-room which I have said will be 
necessary. Formerly a loft was almost always provided over the stable, 
in which the provender was kept; but in those days, when high racks 
were in vogue, a trap-door was left over them to keep them supplied, and 
the consequence was, that, in the first place, the horses were continually 
