FARM BUILDINGS. 659 



through the stable floor, or through an open window, in cold, wintry weather, where the air 

 is constantly blowing upon the ani -rials. If any farmer doubts the soundness of our position 

 in this respect, let him imagine or experience the discomfort and effects upon the health of 

 being himself confined to a limited space, from which he could not get free, and be obliged 

 to remain constantly in a draft of cold air day and night. If those having charge of animals 

 were themselves obliged to be subjected, for a short time even, to the same treatment they 

 impose upon the dumb, patient, and so often abused creatures under their care, there would 

 soon be a great reformation in this respect, and more kindness and consideration be shown 

 them, than we now o ten see. 



Floors, Box-Stalls, etc. The floors of stables should be strong and well laid. 

 Serious loss sometimes occurs from the giving way of the stable floor. There should be a 

 few box-stalls in every barn where stock are kept, and these should be so arranged that a 

 single animal may be turned in loose when desired. These are very convenient for horses, 

 or sick animals, to occupy. They are also almost a necessity for use as lying-in stalls for 

 cows, while they furnish a convenient place for young calves when separated from the 

 mother. 



Whatever the method of fastening employed, it should be such as will admit of the free 

 use of the head and a restful position in lying down. We have seen animals so tied in the 

 stable that they could not lie down without great discomfort. While cattle should be so 

 secured by fastenings that they cannot hook or otherwise injure each other, they should have 

 sufficient freedom to maintain comfortable positions in standing or lying down. All animals 

 would be more comfortable, when stabled, if they could each have the freedom of a box- stall, 

 without being tied at all. This would be impracticable where many cattle are kept, but if 

 all working horses could be favored with such comfortable quarters, we believe they would 

 last much longer, and the benefits derived would well repay the expense of this luxury to 

 them. 



Freedom of movement is just as essential to animals as to man, for health and comfort, 

 and if horses could each have a Jarge box-stall, where they could run loose and get some 

 exercise in unfavorable weather, and lie down in any position they might choose, it would be 

 much better for them than the common custom of fastening them to one place in a narrow, 

 dingy stable. Mangers should be made perfectly smooth inside, and so well fitted that even 

 dry meal or bran can bo fed in them without waste. Where racks are used, a shallow box 

 should be ajranged underneath, to prevent the waste of hay. 



Manure Gutters in Stables. In order to prevent the waste of liquid manure, the 

 stable floors should be water-tight, and provided with gutters for conducting it to a place of 

 deposit, or sufficient dry material be supplied in the stable to absorb it. Gutters for both 

 liquid and solid manure are sometimes made in the rear of stables, into which the manure is 

 thrown. These are cleaned out every three or four days, and the manure carted directly 

 upon the soil, or put under a slied, or into a compost pile. These gutters are made in various 

 ways, and of different dimensions. A Western farmer describes, in one of the leading 

 agricultural journals, one which Ire has cnstructed as being, when finished, about eight inches 

 deep by twenty-four in width, and costing at the rate of two dollars per cow for material and 

 labor. It is made principally of white oak plank, and double throughout, except at the bot 

 tom, which has three thicknesses. The gutter is made perfectly water-tight by fitting the 

 boards nicely, and applying a coat of boiling tar between the courses, care being used in 

 putting on the second course to break the joints in the first. It is, of course, necessary in 

 using tar in this manner to nail down the boards while the tar is hot and soft. The same 

 w riter says, respecting this method : 



&quot; After the gutter was done, we laid one course of floor, for which we also used one inch 



