SHOT. 203 



be rash enough surely to bring powder near a fire for 

 the purpose of drying. 



Mr. Winsor, it is stated, has taken out a patent for 

 introducing sugar as an ingredient in the manufac- 

 ture of gunpowder. He says, that when properly re- 

 duced to a powder by trituration, it may be mixed 

 with common gunpowder, in the proportion of one- 

 fourth sugar, without diminishing its exploding force. 



Shot. 



This essential article of the sportsman is perhaps 

 already brought to its greatest possible perfection. 

 The patent shot is now so very generally used, that I 

 shall consider the common shot as out of the ques- 

 tion, and confine my remarks solely to the former. 



It is important to the success of the chase, that 

 the sportsman should proportion the size of the shot, 

 as well to the particular species of game he means to 

 pursue, as to the season of killing it : but on this 

 subject, I make no doubt, a variety of opinions will 

 be found to exist among sportsmen ; however, I shall 

 venture to recommend that which I have found to 

 answer the best, and, in the first place, instance the 

 partridge. 



D uring the month of September, No. 7> B, or even 

 9, may be used (though many use No. 6, and some 

 few whimsical persons No. 3 or 4); for, at this time, 

 birds spring near at hand, and their feathers are less 



