Gen eral Arrangcm en t of Sta Ues . 199 



ruffling the bedding. The remedy is a level 

 floor. But all to whom we make the assertion 

 at once rejoin, " How are you to drain a level 

 stall ? Look at the cost of straw when the water 

 cannot get off; and besides, you can never keep 

 your horse dry." The matter has been arranged 

 by the author, in many instances with success, as 

 follows : 



The first object is to lay down a stout perma- 

 nent flooring of thick paving stones well jointed, 

 or other hard material, perfectly level, and behind 

 the stall an open drain ten inches wide, and 

 about two inches deep in the centre. This is 

 either made of strong; baked fire-clay, or cut out 

 of thick stones. To drain the stalls there are 

 cut by means of a chisel, three or four grooves 

 running down the stall to the cross drain behind. 

 Each groove commences at a part a little in 

 front of the middle, very shallow at first, but as 

 the drain is approached they become a little 

 wider and deeper until the outlet is upon a level 

 with the bottom of the drain. After this arrange- 

 ment has been carried out the horses are not 

 found to stand away back, or seldom across the 

 stall, while perfect drainage is effected. 



Wooden floors are used very extensively in 

 coal mines to save bedding, and there can be 

 no reason why the arrangement may not be 

 introduced to the stables of large owners of cart 

 and other horses above ground, where scarcity of 

 bedding occurs. 



