STABLES 185 



by making them fall from each end, to mid-length, of the stable. All 

 urine channels should be open, no underground pipes being permissible 

 inside the stable itself. 



Drainage. — In the stable shown (Figs. 150 and 150a) the urine 

 is led from the building to a covered concrete sump outside by means 

 of a 4-inch stoneware drain-pipe. The urine and washings may be 

 baled out of the sump at intervals, and thrown on the manure heap ; 

 or, more conveniently, the stable may be connected with the drainage 

 piping, leading from the cow-byre to the liquid manure tank which 

 adjoins the dung-stead. The instructions with regard to laying the 

 drain-pipes, given in Chapter XXV., apply here also. 



Brick Floors. — Bricks are frequently used for stable floors. They 

 are laid on a sub-layer of concrete which, in turn, rests on 6 inches 

 of hard-core. 



Ordinary bricks laid on their edges are often employed, hard 

 burned blues being selected for the purpose. Even these, however, 

 are too soft and, partially on account of their being of unequal 

 hardness, soon wear into hollows. They are also too absorbent to be 

 sanitary. 



Specially made " clinkers " of South African manufacture are 

 obtainable. They have their edges chamfered, and their surfaces 

 grooved, to prevent slipping. They form a harder wearing, less absorbent 

 floor than do ordinary hard blues. 



The sub-layer of concrete on which the bricks are laid should be 

 3 or 4 inches thick, and a 1 : 2 : 4 mixture may be adopted. 



Each brick, in being laid, should be bedded down solidly on a 

 little cement mortar placed on top of the concrete sub-layer, and 

 finally the joints between the bricks should be thoroughly grouted 

 in with 1 : 2 cement mortar. 



Concrete Granolithic Floor. — A good floor can be obtained by the 

 use of concrete granolithic, i.e. concrete with a granolithic top. The 

 concrete (1:2:4 mixture) is deposited on a 6 -inch layer of well- 

 rammed hard-core, and should be about 4 inches thick. While still 

 " green," the concrete is topped by a 1-inch layer of granolithic as 

 explained on page 133. In order to prevent slipping the surfaces of 

 passages may be cut into 6-inch squares by |-inch deep V grooves, 

 while the floor should be finished without a glaze. 



Cobble Floor. — The ordinary cobble floor, made of water- worn 



