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said, the most perfect material for the floor of a stable, and should be 

 laid with proper Hdls towards the horse-pot. The horse-pot and trap 

 should be of a strong approved manufacture, trapped so as to prevent 

 any draught passing into the stable under the horse, and from this 

 trap a 4-inch drain-pipe should be taken outside the wall and made to 

 discharge into an open trap. It is not, however, always convenient 

 to lay such an expensive floor. A capital substitute is to be found 

 in the blue Staffordshire brick, which being of a hard metallic nature, 

 is, when set on edge, a most durable and effective floor, and is imper- 

 vious to any evil effects caused by urine. The rotting and disintegra- 

 tion which sooner or later eat into the surface of plain brick floors, by 

 the absorbing of urine, places this kind of material outside the class 

 of really good work. Where, however, it is desirable for reasons of 

 economy to have it laid in preference to other and more expensive 

 ones, it should always be laid on the edge and on a sound concrete 

 bed. For stables, loose-boxes, and coach-houses, an inexpensive and 

 substantial floor of granitic concrete is much used, and is vastly 

 superior to the usual Portland cement floor, which, however well laid, 

 will certainly at one time or other scale off in pieces. 



Fittings. — We come now to consider what class of fittings is most 

 suitable to stables. Of this I may say at once that there are several 

 classes, and what is suitable in one case will not always be so in another, 

 as I shall endeavour to show. For instance, where economy has to be 

 kept in view, and at the same time efficiency to be secured, such fittings 

 as were put in the loose-boxes of stables at Park Place (Plate XII.) are 

 perfect of their kind, and answer every purpose. In this instance the 

 divisions are constructed of quartering, lined on each side with deal 

 of sufficient thickness, and finished with a skirting of elm-wood at 

 bottom, slightly raised off the surface of the floor, and capped on the 

 top with an oak capping. The walls are lined to the same height with 

 similar boarding. The mangers and racks are made of the same 

 material, and the former lined with zinc. Here we have an example 

 of the least expensive method of finishing loose-boxes ; and the stalls 

 may be executed in a similar manner. 



For stables of a better class, the ordinary iron fittings supplied 

 by a few of the best manufacturers make a very good finish, combined 

 with pitch-pine boarding stained and varnished. The ordinary iron 

 fittings for manger, heel-post, ventilating rails, &c., should be of 

 wrought iron in preference to cast, as the latter will not stand rough 



