88 THE POCKET AND THE STUD. 



boards do not cross Leicestershire. Oftentimes, 

 when people say such and such a thing does not 

 hurt a horse, the animal would perhaps tell a 

 different tale, for in such cases it frequently hap- 

 pens that the kindness of the master to the animal 

 is about equivalent to that of a grazier or butcher, 

 who, when he tells you that this or that will not 

 hurt his cattle, only means it will not injure the 

 meat for the market. 



We will now, for a short time, turn our atten- 

 tion to matters beneath the earth's surface. 



Much has been said about draining stables. 

 Objections there are, of course, to every sort of 

 drainage ; but I shall describe what I consider as 

 the best. The drain should run just under the 

 centre of the stalls, and should be twelve or 

 fourteen inches deep, and wide, the lower part 

 rounded barrel-fashion. This causes the water to 

 run down much more rapidly than it would if the 

 bottom was flat, and leaves no sharp corner for 

 filth to lodge. The drain should have a very 

 considerable fall — nearly two inches to the 

 yard ; with this, and a bucket or two of water 

 thrown down it twice a week, it will be kept 

 perfectly sweet. The higher end can be stopped 

 up by a door, and the lower one should terminate 

 in a receptable for manure ; or, if that should be 

 impracticable from any particular cause, a cesspool 

 must be made, to be emptied when wanted. Thus 



