74 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



CHAPTER X. 



More remarks on training — Gradual increase of pace — Swimming 

 through streams — No necessity for periodical dressings — Beck- 

 ford's opinion at vai'iance with our own — Clean wheat straw 

 indispensable as Utter — Vegetables during summer — Alteratives 

 — Old oatmeal the staple food — Mode of preparation — Objections 

 to barley — Iron boilers, not copper — Time for boiling — Good 

 man-cook — French cuisine — " De gustibus non est disputandum " 

 — A bas greaves. 



In the last chapter we made some remarks on the 

 training of the young hounds preparatory to the 

 commencement of their Avork in the woodlands ; 

 and taking into consideration the season of the 

 year when cub-hunting generally begins, from the 

 first week in August to the first week in Sep- 

 tember, as the country may chance to be chiefly 

 pasture or arable — which makes the difference of a 

 month ; considering also the hardness of the ground 

 and heat of the weather at this period, it is evi- 

 dent that hounds ought to be in first-rate condi- 

 tion, with not an ounce of inside fat or superfluous 

 flesh to meet the hard work in store for them. 

 Two months at least will be required to prepare 

 them for this purpose, by gradually increasing their 

 exercise, both as to time and pace, until they can 

 go for a couple of miles at a stretch, over downs, 



