The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-08-19
Horse and Cow Stable.

Horse and Cow Stable.
The first requisite for . stable in which
. weary horse can rest at hy-t'me IS
drsinage. The floor should be 80 ar
ranged that . few pailfuls of water may
be dashed upon it in the evening; before
the horses are bedded down. 1t may
he sad of the stable, as of the kitchen
of the house, that the stable floor should
be first constructed, and the building
mt over il. for the floor is all-important.
To he perfect it should be upon the
oropnd and of earth and stone or con-
crete, and saturated with gas tar. The
floor should be sloped to the gutter
behind the horses, and from the door to
the gutter. A solid, durable, water
nroof floor is made as follows: Having
Graded the ground, it may be paved
with broken stone or coarse gravel well
rammed down. Upon this is poured
thin mortar of lime and sand hydraulic
cement and sand is preferable-and the
ramming is repeated until the floor IS
solid and firm. IF the soft mortar comes
up on the surface more sand may be
scattered upon it and the rammlng re-
ueated. When this is dry, hot gas tar
should be poured on until no more WIZ
be absorbed, and sand is then plentiful
" scattered upon the surface until no
more can be worked into the tar. Inc
drain is continued to the manure yard
at a proper distance to avoid all pun
cent fumes from it. After this floor is
swent clean and washed down, shovel
ful of plaster may be scattered upon it
before the litter IS laid down. The
stable should be high, with at least two
narrow windows reaching to the top on
the north side, and these should be kept
omen: a Slated door should also be pro-
yided. A further convenience will be
found in a supply OF carbolic acid, of
which a teasponful may be shaken up in
q quart of water and the mixture, IN
part, sponged over the horses when they
are left at night and the rest sprinkled
over the floor. In stable so M inaged
a horse will rest comfortably and will
work all the better for it in the day.
1t will add years to the life of horse,
and hundreds of dollars to the actual
value of his labors, if he be given the at
tention which this noble servant and
companion of the farmer deserves. The
mercy will be twice blessed; it will bless
the owner that gives and the deserving
beast that receives it. ,....,...
But we must hasten to the COW stable
OF ward and see how these patient crea-
lures may be spared much suffering.
Without going into too much detail, let
us say in general terms that cleanliness
should rule in regard to the cows. There
is far greater comfort for these generous
beasts in good, clean, roomy stables
than in a filthy manure yard. Cleanli-
ness costs only labor. There is no ex-
penditure of money required. The
poorest shed may be kept free from filth,
and the best deodorizer for summer use
is the cheap and plentiful earth. II
nothing better can be done than to spread
earth over the stable floor and to provide
a shady shed for the cattle, at least il
may be kept clean and freshened with
earth, and the cows may be kept clean,
too. Fresh air and cleanliness will mod
ify a multitude of diseomforts. Flies
abound where filth gathers, and flies are
the greatest pest to animals at this sea
son. If the cow stable or shed is made
dark. is kept clean and sweetened by
means of dry earth or gympsum, the
cows may rest in it free from annoyance
by flies during the hottest part OF thu
day. and will shrink but little of theil
milk as compared with those exposed il
an open pasture or yard. But why
should the pasture be left unprovidee
with shade? A shed open in the nortl
side only would furnish q great protec
ton to the cows that are kept in the pas
ture through the day, and it would pro
vide safe shelter from sudden showers
We say safe shelter. because it is seri
ously dangerous for cows to be exposes
to a sudden thunder-shOwer or hail
storm which may come up on an ex
ceedingly hot day, and reduce the tenn
perature twenty degrees or more in few
minutes. Cows have been stricken witt
fatal disease from such an accident, ant
for this, if not for several other obvlou
reasons, one of the farm buildings SHOULD
be shed in the pasture. Covered yard
are a modern device of the farm i'm
proven. They are doubtless worthy Q
high consideration, both for summe
and winter protection. When solllng
practiced they are very convenient, a
fording airy, cool shade, large add
ton to the water supply, and a desira
BILE place for feeding. They may be
come, in fact, permanent summer sts
bles, and they will be indispensable
where ensilage is the main support
the cattle. or where stall-feeding is pras
ticed, while for ordinary cattle keepin
they may easily be made to pay the
cost in protection from the scorchin
summer sun.-Henry Stewart, in N.
Times.
Take Care Of the Straw.
In the older sections of the countl
the value of straw is SO far appreciate
that the torch is now seldom applied
The straw, stack. as was once the cas-
80 - &, Ao,,htf.,l IL anV Orrpat mr.,