KENNEL LAMENESS 185 



which is on a sandy soil, that he most reluctantly 

 determined upon giving them up. Having tried various 

 experiments, including those already mentioned, he 

 came to the conclusion that the affliction was produced 

 from the damp exhalations and atmosphere surrounding 

 the kennel acting upon the hounds after severe work, 

 when lying close to each other in the usual way on the 

 benches. Being very unwilling to give up his hounds, 

 he determined to try one experiment, which fortunately 

 proved successful. The plan is simple, not expensive, 

 and may readily be adopted hi any kennel. It is to 

 form a separate box or compartment for each hound 

 on the ordinary beds. A board is fixed down the 

 middle, which may vary in height from two to two feet 

 six inches, according to the standard of the pack. The 

 front and back are also provided with a similar con- 

 trivance, running parallel with the boards in the 

 centre, but these are not required to be so high. The 

 separate compartments are then formed by short cross 

 boards extending from the centre to the back and front ; 

 and being made to slide into grooves, they are readily 

 removed for the purpose of replenishing or shaking up 

 the straw, which passing under these boards is kept neat 

 and straight. Mr. Jasper, who gave me the details* of 

 his plan some years since, informed me of the complete 

 success which he had experienced, adding many good 

 reasons for adopting it. Besides that of rendering the 

 pack free from kennel lameness, it prevents hounds 

 fighting or defiling their beds, and every hound having 

 once taken to his lodging retains it. Mr. Roberts 

 followed the example with equally satisfactory results. 

 Bad as was the condition of the pack with which Mr. 

 Boycott commenced, part of that which Mr. Holyoake 

 began with was still worse. Sir Thomas Boughey's 

 hounds were sold at Birmingham, and the late Duke of 

 Cleveland's being disposed of at the same time, several 

 lots were purchased to form the new pack, nine couples 

 of which were put forward. I certainly never saw hounds 

 in such a woeful condition. However, they had the 



