Basement Floor 277 



wall is cheap, durable, dry, excludes the cold, 

 and still allows a little fresh air to enter the 

 stables gradually. Objection has been made to 

 this construction on the ground that it harbors 

 mice and rats. After having used buildings 

 with walls of this character for a quarter of a 

 century, I must say that the objection is not 

 well taken. 



FLOCKS 



The floor of the first story should be partly 

 of wood and partly of cement or of brick. 



All voidings of the animals should be 

 removed from the stable at least once a day. 

 Allowing the manure to drop through gratings, 

 with the view of letting it remain there more 

 than one day, is decidedly wrong, and- any ar- 

 rangement which does not admit of the thorough 

 cleaning and airing of the stable daily is objec- 

 tionable. Nor is the practice of washing out 

 the stables economical, since it necessitates great 

 waste of manure or too great expense in caring 

 for and removing the diluted excreta. If the 

 floors and stable be well cleaned with shovel and 

 broom, and dusted with gypsum, dry earth, saw- 

 dust, or chaffy material, good sanitary conditions 

 will be secured easily and cheaply. While the 

 stables are being cleaned and treated they should 



