THE WADDING. 209 



make u-e of : Over the powder, I fix a wadding of 

 hat, taking care to place it firm, but not rammed 

 too hard : the shot I cover with pieces of punched 

 card, observing the same precautions as before; 

 cork, no doubt, would answer the latter purpose as 

 well as card (though not better), hut is not so easily 

 punched : and as both hat and card wadding are apt 

 to turn in going down, the ram-rod should be made 

 at the bottom end almost to fit the calibre of the 

 piece, by which they will be prevented from turning. 

 Hat wadding has this advantage, that it in some 

 measure cleans the barrel every time it goes down ; 

 and the same may be said, perhaps, of shepherd's 

 fearnought ; but the latter does not possess the con- 

 sistence of the former, which, in my opinion, renders 

 it inferior. In fact, if the sportsman choose, he may 

 use hat over the shot as well as powder, which is a 

 thing frequently done by the compiler. Care should 

 be taken that the wadding (hat) fits the calibre; and 

 for this purpose it must be cut with a punch. 



That the wadding also which covers the shot 

 should be exactly adapted for the purpose will ap- 

 pear from the following reason. If paper or any 

 very pliable material is used for covering the shot, 

 the latter will (should the muzzle of the gun be 

 held downward) be very apt to lose, or at least to 

 move, from the wadding not being sufficiently fast, 

 or not possessing strength enough to resist the weight 

 of the shot, and hold it firmly on the powder. Losing 



