VENTILATION. 53 



"We often hear persons laugh at many of the 

 practices of our ancestors, though in many things 

 I conceive the true laugh is on the other side. 

 Let us look at a very old fashioned bed, for in- 

 stance : here we see the foundation, about fifteen 

 inches from the ground, having an honest nine or 

 ten feet between it and the tester. Look, then, 

 at one of more recent date : here we find the 

 foundation made so high that it forms a kind of 

 first-floor of our bed-room, and by the time a 

 paillasse, wool and hair mattress, and perhaps a 

 feather-bed, are put on, we get into the attic, to 

 which we are forced to climb by a moveable stair- 

 case. This brings us nearly within arm's reach of 

 the tester when we lie down. If then a set of 

 good thick curtains are drawn around, we have a 

 very fair succedaneum for cucumber culture. 

 Persons sleeping thus, then, wonder they get 

 colds, sore throats, et cetera, and feel enervated. 

 Why, the very cucumbers get cold if the gardener 

 omits shutting them in if any cold air blows. 

 How, then, can people expect to escape? The 

 good ladies of those forefathers we laugh at, would 

 not have had an appetite to eat beef-steaks and 

 drink ale for breakfast had they slept thus. 



So far as relates to the general temperature of 

 stables, in an ordinary way, I should say that 

 60 deg. is a fair average for horses used for road 

 work, or for hunters rode with harriers : hunters, 



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