OUTER WALLS OF STABLES. 217 



in the stalls and boxes should be kept covered with sand 

 or peat moss, so as to soak up the urine. All the soiled 

 portions of such a floor, as well as the soiled bedding, should 

 be removed at least twice a day and fresh sand or peat moss 

 laid down. Also, from time to time, the surface of the clay, 

 say, to a depth of a foot or 18 in., should be removed and 

 fresh clay put down. These clay floors are used in India, in 

 the Russian remount depots, and in many other parts of 

 the world. I have heard that rammed chalk, the tainted 

 surface of which should be removed as may be required, is 

 another makeshift which acts fairly well, especially as it is 

 not slippery. 



OUTER WALLS OF STABLES. 



The outer walls of a stable, while serving their purpose 

 as a means of protection to the horses in the building, should 

 be durable ; should be as nearly non -porous as possible, so that 

 the walls may not become damp, and may not absorb noxious 

 vapours and disease germs ; should not be soluble in water ; 

 should not be inflammable ; and by their low conducting 

 power of heat or by their thickness should protect the in- 

 terior from changes of temperature, so that it may remain 

 cool in summer and warm in winter. These conditions are 

 best fulfilled as a rule by thick walls of hard, tough stone, 

 The quality of bricks, which are the next best material, 

 depends on the nature of the brick-earth (brick-clay), from 

 which they are made, and on the manner in which they 

 are manufactured. To obtain the best bricks for this pur- 

 pose, clay which is free from all injurious impurities, and 

 which contains a small admixture of silica in the form of 

 sand, should be used. The addition of silica is necessary 

 to prevent the clay from cracking on drying. Pure clay 

 consists of hydrated silicate of alumina. As an example of 

 good bricks we may take those of Candy and Co., which 



