194 THE HORSE. 
clay to be obtained near at hand, the carriage alone from the brick-kilns 
amounts to a prohibitory sum. But, in all cases, when they can be had, 
well burnt and free from salt, they should be selected as at once the most 
convenient, the dryest, and the least absorbent of all building materials 
In some districts, the clay and sand are so bad, that they burn into a 
porous sponge, than which nothing can be worse, if exposed to the rain 
without and the exhalations from the horse within. Even these, how- 
ever, will make good walls, if they are cemented inside and out; but nu 
precaution short of this will suffice. Rough stone seldom makes a dry 
stable, on account of the quantity of mortar which it takes to fill up the 
interstices; for as lime is always an expensive article, the filling in is not 
sufficiently attended to, and the wet is allowed to enter, more or less. Of 
course, attention to the proper performance of his work by the stonemason 
will obviate these objections ; and some supervision of this kind is re- 
quired, whether brick or stone is selected as the material for the walls. 
In any case, a good thickness should be allowed, in order to keep an even 
temperature; and for walls much exposed to the east or north, less than 
fourteen inches should never he adopted as the dimensions. 
SraBLE FLOORS are laid in some one of the following materials, of which 
I give the prices, as nearly as they can be calculated, since these will 
depend, in each case, upon circumstances varying in every county :— 
1. CoMMON STOCK BRICKS may be laid edgeways, so as to last for a few 
years ; but though their low prime cost makes them the cheapest material 
(except pebbles, in certain localities), yet in the long run they are dear, as 
they so soon wear through. Moreover, unless very hard and well-burnt 
bricks are carefully picked, they absorb the urine, and the stable laid with 
them can never be kept quite sweet, nor can it be as dry as it should be. 
A yard (super.) of bricks, laid edgeways, without mortar or cement, will 
take about fifty-six; but if laid in cement, fifty will be about the number, 
varying with the thickness of the joint. In every case, unless the natural 
soil is very dry, and especially if it is composed of clay or loam, about 
a foot of concrete should be first put in; upon this a couple of inches of 
sand, and then the bricks. In levelling the sand before laying the bricks, 
a fall of about two inches should be allowed from the head to the drain 
at the back, which is amply sufficient. The usual plan in stable floors is 
to lay the bricks edgeways dry, running them across the stalls, and care- 
fully breaking the joints—that is, avoiding the placing of each joint 
opposite the one in the row above and below it. After the whole space is 
thus laid, some recently-mixed mortar is reduced to the thickness for 
grouting, and well worked into the joints by a stout besom. ‘The floor is 
then left for several days to set; after which it may be used. ‘The price 
of stock bricks averages about 25s. to 28s. per thousand ; and therefore 
the prime cost of this kind of floor, simply laid in sand and grouted, is 
very low—sometimes not exceeding 2s. per yard. The concrete adds 
ereatly to the cost, and with these common bricks it will hardly be of 
much use, as they absorb so much moisture themselves from above, that 
they can hold very little in addition. Nothing but limited means can 
justify the use of these bricks. I have recently known a floor laid with 
them wear almost through in a single year. 
2. PreppBLes are even cheaper than bricks in the immediate neighbour- 
hood of the localities where they are found. They make an excellent and 
dry floor, if carefully laid, as they neither wear away by friction, nor do 
they become decomposed in course of time; while, being pure flint, they 
do not absorb a drop of water. It is difficult, however, to keep their sur- 
