THE BARN AND BARN- YARD. 



1201 



run any risks of being crowded against a partition, and all that 

 is necessary is to have the partitions extend back far enough 

 so that the cows can not steal each other's feed or horn each 

 other. In the cow stable the stills should be full four feet 

 wide, but for other cattle they may be a little narrower. I 

 would prefer some other material than boards for the floor, as I 

 have always found a board floor a harbor for rats. For cows a 

 satisfactory floor can be made by pounding in tough yellow clay, 

 as they will always urinate in the ditch, but steers would be 

 likely to make it too soft and muddy as their urine would fall 



on the floor. The cement 

 called "liquid stone," 

 which is used for pave- 

 ment would, I think, make 

 an excellent floor. When 

 a clay or cement floor is 

 to be laid a timber should 

 be put down next the 

 manure ditch for the edge. 

 Another way in which 

 cattle can be kept clean 

 in the stable is by means 

 of a slatted floor. This 

 should be raised high 

 enough above the stable 

 floor so that with a hoe 

 or shovel it will be easy 

 to take the dung from 

 under it. The slats should 

 be of strong and dura- 

 ble timber three inches 

 wide at the top or upper 

 side, and beveled to two inches at the bottom, which will 

 prevent the cracks from becoming clogged. The best width for 

 the cracks is about two inches. I think it would be easier to 

 keep this slatted floor clean if the slats run lengthwise of the 

 stall instead of across as shown in the engraving, for there 



7G 



SLATTED FLOOR. 



