270 PRACTICABLE REFORMS. 



they know to the touts ; these immediately transmit the 

 information to their employers, who, more inexcusable 

 than themselves, use this dishonest means for their own 

 emoluments. 



This is a practice that all who care for the turf must 

 wish should be stopped. For, I emphatically repeat that 

 it is in the stables that the mischief is done. The boys, 

 who can hardly be said to know right from wrong, become 

 the tools of designing knaves. By these men they are 

 entrapped to act dishonestly towards their employers by the 

 bait of a trifling money reward, or luxuries and pleasure--- 

 the latter frequently of an immoral kind. The result is, 

 ruin to the lads, and to yourself (unless you can counteract 

 the machinations of their tempters) the subversion of all 

 your plans. To put an end to such a state of things is 

 obviously no easy matter ; but yet I think something may 

 be done towards inserting the thin end of the wedge, which 

 time may be trusted to drive home, to the benefit of the 

 boys and the extinction of the tout. 



My plan is: in the first place, to have all stalls and boxes 

 numbered, and to call their inmates by the number of the 

 stall or box each occupies. As a matter of fact, it is easier 

 tO' say "No. i," or "No. lo," than "colt out of Camera 

 Obscura," or " Old Gipsy Boy." This simple plan properly 

 worked is thoroughly effective. For if the boys are ignorant 

 of the age and pedigree of the horses, they cannot know for 

 what races they are entered, or whether this or the other 

 horse is doing well or ill ; and of course they cannot transmit 

 to others information they do not themselves possess. 



When your employers with their friends pay a visit to 

 see the horses, you hand to each of the party a card with 

 the following pr.'nted on it : — You are requested to ask no 



