Stable Floors. 



375 



urine. (2) A surface sufficiently even to be readily and 

 thoroughly cleaned with a small amount of labor. (3) A 

 durability approximating that of the building itself. (4) 



FIG. 173. Rectangular barn showing driveways to second and third floors. 



A reasonably low first cost. There are two materials 

 which have been used in the construction of stable floors 

 which fulfill these requirements; they are concretes made 

 either with Portland cement or asphalt. The asphalt is 

 superior to the Portland concrete in being a poorer con- 

 ductor of heat while the cement has the advantage of less 

 first cost. 



457. Cold and Warm Floors. It is urged against the con- 

 crete as compared with wood floors that they are cold. The 

 meaning is that they are better conductors of heat and so 

 serve to carry the heat away from the body of the animal 

 rapidly. It is true that they do convey heat faster than 

 wood and when used in cold climates without bedding are 

 worse than wood from this standpoint. They are not as 

 bad in this respect, however, as many imagine. In the first 

 place the stable ought not to fall below 40 F., and when 



