LETTER I. 7 



wash the kennels, but for cooking purposes the purest 

 water is requisite. Allow of no stagnant pools near the 

 kennels. To each lodging room there should be two 

 doors ; one at the back, with a small sliding panel high 

 up, through which the huntsman may observe the hounds, 

 without their seeing him ; another door in the front, 

 with a large opening cut at the bottom, high enough and 

 wide enough for a hound to pass through easily, and 

 which should always be left open at night to allow free 

 egress to the court. There must be another door also in 

 the partition wall between each kennel, by which in the 

 summer two lodging rooms may be thrown together. 

 The benches should be made of pine or oak spars, and 

 not nailed on to the frame, but joined together by threes 

 or fours. They can thus be easily taken up, and the 

 frame moved aside, whilst the kennel is being washed 

 down. The height of the benches from the floor should 

 be about two feet, which will admit of tired hounds 

 easily lying down. I need hardly remark that a mop is 

 very essential to the cleanliness of the kennel, and will 

 be in constant requisition. Stone or iron troughs are best 

 for the hounds to have their water in. They should be 

 placed rather high off the ground, for obvious reasons, 

 and fresh water supplied every day. 



In some establishments there is a separate kennel for 

 the young hounds, with a grass yard attached for their 

 own use, and it is certainly very advantageous ; but with 

 a little caution the buildings and courts I recommend 

 will be sufficient, and be the saving of considerable 

 expense. 



In the hunting season the old hounds will not require 

 the green-yard at all, as they should be walked out, two 



