68 HOESES AND HOUNDS. 



the hunting season being in two divisions), instead of its being 

 washed down, whilst the hounds are left shivering in the cold 

 on a bleak winter's day, which I have seen done when the 

 huntsman has been too busy to walk them out during this 

 process. 



Nothing is more prejudicial to hounds than damp lodging 

 rooms, a sure cause of rheumatism and mange, to which dogs 

 are peculiarly liable. I have seen them affected by rheumatism 

 in various ways, and totally incapacitated from working ; some- 

 times they are attacked in the loins, but more often in the 

 shoulders, which some huntsmen call the kennel-lameness, and 

 so in reality it is, the kennel-lameness proceeding either from 

 a damp situation, damp lodging rooms, or damp straw — perhaps 

 all these combined. For some years there was a malady of this " 

 sort, said to be peculiar to the New Forest, and attributed by 

 some to the boggy nature of the ground over which the hounds 

 had to run ; by others, to the little stunted gorse so prevalent 

 on the open heath. Mr. Nicol, however, I believe, thought dif- 

 ferently, and tried various expedients to render the kennels 

 more healthy, and had the benches constructed so high off" the 

 ground that the hounds went up stairs to bed. I do not hear 

 that the pack which now hunts the New Forest country has 

 been affected with the same malady, and this, I think, is owing 

 to a change of situation, as I have seen hounds from other 

 kennels labouring under similar attacks, which have recovered 

 when removed to more healthy situations. No doubt greater 

 attention is paid in these enlightened days to the comfort and 

 health of hounds ; yet much remains to be done, and many 

 prejudices of huntsmen to be removed. 



In building new kennels, the earth should be removed from 

 the lodging-room floor, to the depth of a foot at least, and in its 

 place broken stones, sifted gravel, or cinders substituted, with 

 a layer of fine coal ashes, upon which the bricks or floor is to 

 be laid in hot coal ash mortar. Bricks are preferable to stone. 

 Outside the walls a drain about three feet deep should be con- 

 structed, with a draining pipe of two inches bore at the bottom, 

 and filled up with broken stones to within six inches of the 

 surface. This drain is to be carried quite round the building, 

 and will fall into the main sewer. For a roof to the building 

 5 prefer thatch to tiles, as affording more warmth in winter and 

 coolness in summer, but as slate tiles are more agreeable to the 

 eye, a thin layer of reed placed under the tiles will answer the 

 purpose. 



Over the centre of the lodging rooms should be a sleeping 

 apartment for the feeder, which being raised above the level of 



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