THE COURT 11 



The benches, which must be open, to let the urine through, should 

 have hinges and hooks in the wall, that they may fold up, for the greater 

 conveniency in washing out the kennel : they should also be made as 

 low as possible, that a hound, when he is tired, may have no difficulty in 

 jumping up, and at no time may be able to creep under. 1 Let me add, 

 that the boiler should be of cast-iron. 



The rest of the kennel consists of a large court in front, which is also 

 bricked, having a grass-court adjoining, and a little brook running through 

 the middle of it. The earth that was taken out of it, is thrown up into 

 a mount where the hounds, in summer, delight to sit. This court is planted 

 round with trees, and has, besides, a lime-tree, and some horse-chestnut 

 trees, near the middle of it, for the sake of shade. A high pale incloses the 

 whole ; part of which, to the height of about four feet, is close ; the other 

 open : the interstices are about two inches wide. The grass-court is 

 pitched near the pale, to prevent the hounds from scratching out. Grass 

 is the dog's best emetic ; and in this he is his own physician. If you can- 

 not guess the intention of the posts which you see in the courts, there is 

 scarcely an inn window on any road, where the following line will not let 

 you into the secret : 



' So doga will p where dogs have p 'd before.' 



This is done to save the trees, to which the urinary salts are 

 prejudicial. If they be at first backward in coming to them, bind 

 some straw round the bottom, and rub it with galbanum. The brook in 

 the grass-court may serve as a stew : your fish will be very safe. 2 



At the back of the kennel is a house, thatched and furzed up on the 

 sides, big enough to contain at least a load of straw. Here should be a 

 pit ready to receive the dung, and a gallows for the flesh. The gal- 

 lows should have a thatched roof, and a circular board at the posts of it, 

 to prevent vermin from climbing up. If you can inclose a piece of ground 

 adjoining to your kennel, for such dog-horses as may be brought to you 

 alive, it will be of great use ; as it might be dangerous to turn them out 

 where other horses go ; for you may not always be able to discover their 

 disorders. Hither you may also bring your hounds, after they have been 

 fed, to empty themselves ; here you will have more opportunities of seeing 

 them than in the kennel ; and will be enabled, therefore, to make your 

 draft for the next day with greater accuracy. 



1 Benches cannot be too low. If, owing to the smallness of the hound, it should be diffi- 

 cult to render them low enough, a projecting ledge will answer the same purpose ; and the 

 benches may be boarded at bottom, to prevent the hound from creeping under. 



2 It may also be used as a cold bath, for such hounds as stand in need of it : for lameness 

 in the atifle, and for strains, it will be found of service. 



