"WIDTH AND LENGTH OF STALLS. 7 



placed in the stall, and made to turn quickly round, would be 

 very liable to strike Hs head against it, and possibly damage 

 an eye, or knock out a tooth. Accidents of this nature have 

 occurred, but by judicious arrangements they may be entirely 

 prevented. 



The stall partitions should consist of boards four or five 

 inches in width, and about two and a half inches thick. They 

 should not be tongued and grooved, but simply fitted close and 

 compact to one another. The lower end of the boards should 

 terminate in a groove cut in a stone fixed deep within the ground ; 

 the stone descending at least to the depth of from two to three 

 feet. The top of the boards should be made secure, by fixing 

 them into a strong oak or ash capping, having a deep groove 

 on its under surface to receive the boards. The ends of this 

 capping should be made secure by passing one (the top) end 

 into the wall, and the other (the lower end) into a mortice 

 situate near the top end of the stall-post. The capping should 

 be made to descend, with a graceful curve, from its upper to its 

 lower end, as it adds to the appearance of the stall. The stall- 

 posts should descend into the ground from three to four feet, 

 to keep them firm and secure. Before the posts are fixed in 

 the soil, they should be well charred in those parts which are 

 required to be buried or sunk : it will prevent the timber from 

 decay. Charring will be easily accomplished by means of a 

 bonfire. When charring is not practicable, a free coating of 

 weU-boUed gas tar is the next best preservative from decay. 

 The advantage of having the boards forming the stalls simply 

 placed side by side is obvious : if one becomes broken or splin- 

 tered from a kick, it can be easily removed, and another fixed 

 in its place. The length of the stall partitions, from the back 

 of the manger to where the boards join the stall-post (that is 

 to say, the length of the stalls from the hay rack to the heel 

 post behind,) should be nine feet. 



