FALSE BOTTOMS. 15 



bottoms, where it is determined to use them upon the floor of 

 the ordinary made stalls. But a better plan would be, to sink 

 the paved and channeled floor of the staU so as to receive the 

 false bottom, which can be readily done by making provision 

 for the proper junction of the channeled stone in the centre of 

 the stall, vdth the drains of the stable. "Where these are sunk, 

 and the false bottom in its place, the stall would present its 

 original level, neither would there be any step as would be the 

 case, when the false bottom is laid upon the ordinary floor. 

 It would also be well if the false bottom should fit somewhat 

 loosely, so as to allow of its ready removal, for the purpose of 

 washing and cleaning the floor beneath, and it would be better 

 sfcUl to have the false bottom made in three portions, each por- 

 tion so fitted to the others, as not to allow of its being acciden- 

 tally displaced. If the false bottom be laid down without the 

 floor being fiist sunk in the manner here spoken of, have it 

 simply of two halves, and make it so secure, that the lower half 

 cannot slide away from the upper one. In any case, by having 

 the longitudinal timbers or sleepers thicker at their lower end, 

 it will be very easy to throw the stall level, instead of following 

 the slope of the floor beneath ; the increased thickness of course 

 depending on the degree of fall the stall possesses.* On no 

 account need the cross boards be more than half an inch 

 apart from one another. This space is amply sufficient to allow 



* The late Mr. James Young, livery stable keeper, of Leeds, adopted 

 these false bottoms to a twelve-stalled stable, and the following is Ms descrip- 

 tion of the process. The cross boards to be made of elm, six inches broad, 

 two inches thick, and one inch apart from one another. The back or bottom 

 cross board to be bevelled, to prevent the horse when walking into the stall 

 from catchiag his toe and tripping in consequence. The ground sleepers 

 should be the whole length of the stall, from wall to outside of gutter, and 

 made of larch or oak, two inches thick, and four inches broad. If the stalls 

 be wide ones, four sleepers will be required. The cross boards to be nailed 

 on with what is called diamond nails, four nails through into each sleeper. 



