THE SUMMERING OF HUNTERS. 121 



in many cases, in spite of the better judgment of 

 the subject of it. It is only healthy fibre which can 

 store up this energy. Fibre largely degenerated 

 into fat can store up next to none, and as we have 

 said, the fibre may be altogether removed by absorp- 

 tion. Then a mean between these two extremes is 

 found in doing whatsoever tends to keep the muscle 

 fibre in its integrity, and in at least some tone. 

 This integrity and this tone is quite easily kept at 

 half-tone. This half-tone will not bear the storing- 

 up process, accompanied as that process must be by 

 full feeds of corn. If the muscle-fibre is not in full 

 tone, it cannot take its quantum from the blood — it 

 has not the power to do so ; indeed it does not want 

 it, and, as we have before pointed out, the blood gets 

 loaded with the material it carries for the half-tone 

 muscles, and which the half-tone muscles cannot 

 drain out of it; and this material, in making its 

 escape through the other drains, stimulates them, 

 and so irritates them, as seen in the skin, in which 

 it sets up an itching condition, especially at its most 

 dependent parts at the hind heels. As muscle at 

 half-tone requires less nourishment of a stimulating 

 kind, it follows that the hunter when thrown into 

 half-condition, will not bear nearly the quantity of 

 hard corn, and is all the better for having his hay 

 diluted with green meat one-third. Supposing, how- 

 ever, that it is not convenient to keep the hunter in 

 gentle work and at half pressure through the sum- 

 mer, and he has to be shelved, this can be done 



