VENTILATION. 53 



We often hear persons laugh at many of the 

 practices of our ancestors, though in many things 

 I conceive the true laugh is on the other side. 

 Let us look at a very old-fashioned bed, for in- 

 stance : here we see the foundation, about fifteen 

 inches from the ground, having an honest nine or 

 ten feet between it and the tester. Look, then, 

 at one of more recent date: here we find the 

 foundation made so high that it forms a kind of 

 first-floor of our bed-room, and by the time a 

 paillasse, wool and hair mattress, and perhaps a 

 feather-bed, are put on, we get into the attic, to 

 which we are forced to climb by a movable stair- 

 case. This brings us nearly within arm's reach of 

 the tester when we lie down. If then a set of 

 good thick curtains are drawn around, we have a 

 very fair succedaneum for cucumber culture. 

 Persons sleeping thus, then, wonder they get 

 colds, sore throats, et cetera, and feel enervated. 

 Why, the very cucumbers suffer if the gardener 

 omits giving them air at proper times or shutting 

 them in if any cold wind blows. How, then, 

 can people expect to escape? The good ladies 

 of those forefathers we laugh at, would not have 

 had an appetite to eat beef-steaks and drink ale 

 for breakfast had they slept thus. 



So far as relates to the general temperature of 

 stables, in an ordinary way, I should say that 

 60 deg. is a fair average for horses used for road 



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