HORSES AND HOUNDS. 95 



a man of moderate means, and to one wlio has the management 

 of a subscription pack, it will make some little difference 

 whether liis meal bill amounts to 250/. or 500/. in the course of 

 the year. 



As to dressing hounds, then, systematically and periodically, 

 I merely state my own opinion, and that formed after many 

 years' experience and observation of all such matters. A pack 

 of fox-hounds ought never to require dressing at all as a general 

 practice. 



As to periodical bleeding, or, correctly speaking, as it used to 

 be called, hlood-letting, the practice is, I hope, nearly, if not 

 quite exploded. I never shall forget witnessing an exhibition 

 of this hlood-letting on a great scale by a huntsman, who was 

 considered A 1 in his profession. He was standing in a small 

 yard, w^ell littered with straw, lancet in hand, with two assist- 

 ants holding the hounds, a couple at a time, with the blood 

 pouring from their jugular veins, and the whole place covered 

 with gore. Seeing no basin, or any vessel to measure quantity 

 by, I asked this learned gentleman if he bled his hounds until 

 they dropped, or how he was to determine when a sufficient 

 quantity had been taken to suit his taste. He seemed to treat 

 my question with contempt, remarking that he knew his busi- 

 ness perfectly w^ell, and how much blood each hound ought to 

 lose. With all due deference to his opinion, I ventured to 

 suggest that some of his patients looked as if they did not 

 require blood-letting at all, and his rage was great when I 

 offered to operate on himself, as exhibiting decided appear- 

 ances of plethora. 



When the hunting season is over, let the food be mixed thin, 

 instead of stinting the hounds in the quantity, and give them a 

 dose or two of Epsom salts. They should also have, once a 

 week, sulphur and cream of tartar in their food. One pound of 

 each is sufficient for about thirty couples of hounds. If any 

 hound should break out in spots, or exhibit appearances of 

 mange, give him, for three alternate nights, a teaspoonfiil of 

 iEthiop's mineral, mixed up in lard, and the next morning half 

 an ounce of Epsom salts in some warm liquor. Giving hounds 

 physic in their food is, as I have before stated, very objection- 

 able. When salts are given, they should be mixed up with 

 broth only ; but when sulphur or cream of tartar (intended 

 only as an alterative) is given to the whole pack, they may be 

 fed late in the evening ; and in this case it may be mixed with 

 the meal. 



During the summer months vegetables are very useful to 

 keep hounds in health. Whey is also very cooling. I used to 



