DRAINAGE. 199 
ducing wrought iron gutters, which enter on the same level as the grating. 
The smaller one is intended to be set in the centre of the stall with- 
out the iron gutters, and its section (4) shows the small size of the trap and 
STENCH TRAPS. 
consequently how easily it chokes, thereby stopping the ready flow of 
urine. The first thing in all stables is to provide for the rapid removal 
of any fluid which falls upon the litter, whether it be urine or water used 
in washing legs or floor. Without this damp arises and the health of the 
inmates suffers in proportion. oul gas such as is given off from decom- 
posing matters in sewers is no doubt prejudicial, but damp is still more 
so; and while I would be careful to guard against the former T would still 
more cautiously attend to the exclusion of the latter. Hence it is that I 
_ would exclude all internal traps; and every one who has watched the 
proceedings of his own stablemen will have seen how constantly, if they 
know their business, they are obliged to clean out the stench traps if they 
are furnished with them, or on the contrary how slowly these articles 
allow the fluids to pass off if they are not thus attended to. Even the 
old-fashioned simple plan of making the stalls to fall rapidly to an open 
gutter, and carrying this straight behind the horses through an opening in 
ithe wall to the manure hole, will answer better than neglected stench 
traps; and as it is always wise to count upon the occasional carelessness 
of the men, it is expedient to arrange on this basis if it is practicable, 
which I know by experience it is, by the adoption of the catch pit I 
have described. In the country such a pit may be interposed between a 
liquid manure tank and the stable, or it may simply be placed outside, 
taking care that the drain (f) has some safety valve to allow of the escape 
of any gas which is generated beyond it either in the liquid manure 
cistern or in the drain which carries away its contents whatever they may 
be. No trap will prevent the passage of gas if the pressure is greater 
than that of the atmosphere, and in many cases decomposing animal 
matter at a high temperature evolves gas under one considerably greater. 
The best stench trap will then be offensive, but a bad one choked with 
solid matter will be doully so. By thus doing away with all internal 
traps, and simply using wrought-iron gutters of the annexed form, which 
IRON SURFACE GUTTER. 
are provided with moveable covers, that allow of their being regularly 
eleaned out with a common besom, such perfect drainage may be attained 
that the stable neither smells badly ror feels at all damp. It will be seen 
