104 



THE DAIRYMAN'S MANTAL. 



manner, it should be double and laid with a gutter in it. 

 The planks are necessarily laid crossing the beams, 

 but to prevent drip into the cellar, and to save all the 

 liquid, the planks should be laid double, with the joints 

 broken. To make the floor in the very best manner, 

 and quite water-tight and most durable, the first one 

 should be well coated with hot tar, and the upper planks 

 laid in this, getting the joints filled with the tar. A 



Fig. 10.— PLAN OF STANDING FLOOR. 



floor so laid will last for twenty years, or three times as 

 long as any other. It is a good plan to give a plank 

 floor a coat of whitewash under and on the top once a 

 year, as the lime prevents decay. A floor thus treated 

 would probably remain sound as long as the rest of the 

 building. Such a plank floor should slope the same as 

 any other, excepting that the gutter may be level, as the 

 manure will be emptied through trap-doors into the cel- 

 lar below. The manure is easily removed by drawing it 

 forward to the doors with, a broad hoe, when it falls, 

 without further trouble. The plan of a stable floor is 

 shown at figure 10. 



The next matter of impoi'tance is the yard. A yard 

 must be roomy. For twenty-five cows, half an acre is 



