CHAPTER X 



CONCERNING KENNELS 



Kennels and their economy — Somervile's ideas — 

 Soil — Hailsham kennels — Mr. Southerden's notes — 

 Benches — Grass yard — Boiling house — Kennels for 

 larger establishments — Plan — Beckford's hayrick — 

 Diet — Time of feeding — Various authorities on feeding 

 — Raw flesh regime — Beckford's notes — Marquis of 

 Cleveland and his care for hounds 



Kennels, their situation, building, and management, 

 are matters of the very highest importance in the 

 economy of a pack of harriers. Active as hounds are in 

 the field, and long as are their hours abroad on hunting 

 days, they spend, after all, a very large proportion of 

 their time in kennel, and it is, therefore, a supreme 

 necessity that they shall be well and comfortably 

 housed. Somervile recognised this fact, of course, 

 and in his poem are to be found interesting passages 

 on kennel and hound management. As to the situa- 

 tion, his direction can scarcely be bettered. Let it 

 be, he says, 



" Upon some little eminence erect, 

 And fronting to the ruddy dawn ; its courts 

 On either hand wide opening to receive 

 The sun's all-cheering beams, when mild he shines. 

 And gilds the mountain tops." 



Instead of fronting east, however, it is still better that 

 kennels shall face south or south-east. Somervile 



