LITTEII. 1'25 



one horse, or divided into stalls in which a number of horses can be kept 

 secured by the head. Boxes are preferable to stalls, inasmuch as they 

 allow considerable space for the animal to move in and exercise himself", 

 and also enable him to lie down and rest after a hard day's work, with 

 less chance of being disturbed. Boxes are also essentially necessary for 

 sick horses, and especially when suffering from any contagious disease. 

 Each box should be about fifteen feet in length by ten in width, with the 

 side walls from nine to twelve feet high, and where space will admit, the 

 opening above should extend to the roof A stable for six horses divided into 

 stalls should not be less than forty feet in length, and fifteen or sixteen 

 feet wide. If there be no loft above, the inside of the roof should always 

 be plastered, to prevent direct currents of air, and occasional droppings 

 from broken tiles ; and the heated and foul aii' should escape, and cool and 

 pure air be admitted by elevation of the central tiles, or other opening in 

 the roof sufiiciently protected to prevent the beating in of the rain ; or by 

 gratings placed high up in the walls. These latter apertures should be 

 as far above the horses as they can conveniently be placed, by which 

 means all injurious draught "vvill be prevented. 



If there is a loft above the stable, the ceiling should be plastered, in 

 order to prevent the foul aii* from penetrating to the hay above, and in- 

 juring both its taste and its wholesomeness ; and no openings should be 

 allowed above the racks, through which the hay may be thrown into them ; 

 for they will permit the foul air to ascend to the provender, and also in the 

 act of filling the rack, and while the horse is eagerly gazing upward for 

 his food, a grass seed may fall into the eye, and produce considerable 

 inflammation. At other times, when the careless groom has left open the 

 trap-door, a stream of cold air beats down on the head of the horse. 



The stable with a loft over it should never be less than twelve feet high, 

 and pi-oper ventilation should be secured, either by tubes carried through 

 the loft to the roof, or by gratings close to the ceiling. These gratings or 

 openings should be enlarged or contracted by means of a covering or 

 shutter, so that during spring, summer, and autumn the stable may possess 

 nearly the same temperature with the open air, and in winter a tempei-a- 

 ture of not more than ten or fifteen degrees above that of the external 

 atmosphere. 



LITTER. 



Having spoken of the vapour of ammonia, which is so rapidly and so 

 plentifully given out from the ui"ine of a horse in a heated stable, we next 

 take into consideration the subject of litter. The first caution is frequently 

 to remove it. The early evolution of gas shows the rapid putrefaction of 

 the urine ; and the consequence of which will be the rapid putrefaction 

 of the litter that has been moistened by it. Everything hastening to de- 

 composition should be carefully removed where life and health are to be 

 preserved. The litter that has been much wetted or at all softened by the 

 ui'ine, and is beginning to decay, should be swept away every morning ; 

 the greater part of the remainder may then be piled under the manger, a 

 little being left on the hard pavement during the day. The soiled and 

 macerated portion of that which Avas left should be removed at night. In 

 the better kind of stables, however, the stall should be completely emptied 

 every mornmg. 



No heap of fermenting dung should be suffered to remain during the 

 day in the corner or in any part of the stable. With regard to this the 

 directions of the master should be peremptory. 



The stable should be so contrived that the urine shall quickly run off, 

 and the offensive and injurious vapour from the decomposing fluid and the 



