342 THE HORSE 



helps to make the potash in the soil available. But no 

 stable treatment will conserve manures when thrown out 

 under the eaves. Fig. 90 shows the worst possible 

 disposition that can be made of a valuable product 

 from the stable. The manure from the horse stable, 

 in any case, should be carefully husbanded, since the 

 amount, including bedding, usually reaches six to eight 

 tons per horse per year. The value per day of the excre- 

 ments ranges from three to five cents and from ten to 

 fifteen dollars per year, per horse, provided the horses 

 are in the stables the greater part of the time. (See 

 "Fertility of the Land.") If means justify, a lean-to or 

 a separate small building may be constructed for tem- 

 porary storage of manures; in which case they may 

 have to be transported daily to the storage building. 

 Swine or cattle may, in some cases, be allowed to roam 

 over the manure for a portion of each day in the winter 

 with benefit to the manure and to the animals. 



FLOORS, STALLS AND MANGERS 



Sometimes horses may be placed on the second floor 

 above a covered yard, or above other animals. In any 

 case, the stable floor should be water-tight. Wooden 

 floors, all things considered, are usually the best; but 

 conditions may be such as to justify the use of other 

 materials. Brick, cement and stone floors are somewhat 

 objectionable for the following reasons, they are hard 

 for the horses to stand upon, are slippery, and, if bed- 

 ding is not abundant, are damp, and they absorb the 

 heat of the horse when it is lying down. A good, tight 

 stable floor may be made as follows (Fig. 91) : 



