THE PAVEMENT AND ITS SLOPE. 7 



too often only to generate deleterious gases by fermentation ; 

 the cause of much sickness. To lessen this, the pit should be 

 cleared of all manure twice a week and rinsed with a solution 

 of disinfecting fluid or sprinkled with chloride of lime ; 

 offensive drains too should be treated in the same way if 

 there be any in or out of the stable. 



The whole of the water from the roofs is conveyed from 

 the shooting by iron pipes to two large tanks, placed at 

 opposite sides of the yard, capable of holding about 400 

 hogsheads. This supply is sufficient for all purposes, as 

 I have never known them to be dry longer than a few 

 days together, barely sufficient for occasionally cleaning 

 them out. 



The pavement of the stalls is flint, which offers an uneven^ 

 yet not an uncomfortable surface. It is preferable to bricks, 

 which are liable to become slippery and may cause injury to 

 the horse on rising. It has a fall of about four inches from 

 head to tail. A greater fall would be bad, for it would cause 

 the back sinews to be always in a state of tension. In dealers' 

 stables you may see the animals standing across the stalls 

 to avoid this. The great rise in such places is obviously 

 to make the horses look of more importance, to engage the 

 attention of the purchasers. But this would be an evil in 

 the racing stable ; nor do I think any horses would remain 

 comfortable long in so unnatural a position. The flooring 

 behind the stalls is of brick, but I think ground clinkers are 

 better, for they are not so slippery, and certainly are more 

 durable, and look nicer. 



Drains are bad. They cause dampness, and often produce 

 the unpleasant smells they are designed to prevent. When 

 undrained stables are kept scrupulously clean by frequently 

 removing the dung, no suck smells will be generated, and 



