TIME OF FEEDIXG. 45 



o"'clock ; * and if I am present myself, I take the 

 same opportunity to make my draft for the next 

 day's hunting. I seldom, when I can help it, 

 leave this to my huntsman ; though it is neces- 

 sary he should be present when the draft is made, 

 that he may know what hounds he has out. 



It is a bad custom to use hounds to the boil- 

 ing-house, as it is apt to make them nice, and 

 may prevent them from ever eating the kennel 

 meat. What they have should always be given 

 them in the feeding-yard ; and for the same rea- 

 son, though it should be flesh, it is better it 

 should have some meal mixed with it. 



If your hounds are low in flesh, and have far 

 to go to cover, they may all have a little thin 



* Having found it necessary to alter my method of feed- 

 ing hounds, it may not be improper to take notice of it here. 

 They are now fed at eight o'clock, instead of eleven. Their 

 first feed is of barley and oatmeal mixed, an equal quantity 

 of each. Flesh is afterwards mixed up with the remainder, 

 for such hounds as are poor, who are then drafted off into 

 another kennel, and let in to feed all together. When the 

 flesh is all eaten, the pack are again let in, and ai"e by this 

 means cheated into a second appetite. At three o'clock, 

 those that are to hunt the next day are drafted into the 

 hunting-kennel ; they are then let into the feeding-yard, 

 where a small quantity of oatmeal (about three buckets) is 

 prepared for them, mixed up thick. Such as are tender, or 

 bad feeders, have a handful of boiled flesh given to them 

 afterwards. When they are not to hunt the next day, they 

 are fed once only, at ele\'en o'clock. 



