THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. ^^. 



establishment, requiring more horses and more hounds than 

 you intend to keep *. 



Though I have mentioned^ in a former Letter, front 

 eight to twelve <:ouple of young hounds, as a sufficient 

 number to keep up your pack to its present establishment j 

 yet it is always best to have a reserve of a few couple more: 

 than you want, in case of accidents j since, from the time 

 you make your draft to the time of hunting, is a long 

 period, and their existence, at that age and season, very 

 precarious j besides, when they are safe from the disorderi 



* To render fox-hunting perfedl:, no young hounds should be taken 

 Into the pack the first season ; a requisite too expensive for most sports- 

 tnen. The pack should consist of about forty couple of hounds, that 

 have hunted one, two, three, four, or five seasons. The young pack 

 siaould consist of about twenty couple of young hounds, and about an 

 equal number of old ones. They should have a separate establishment ; 

 nor should the two kennels be near enough td interfere with eacli 

 bther. The season over, the best of the young hounds should, be 

 taken into the pack, and the draft of did ones exchanged for them. To 

 enable you every season to take in twenty couple of young hounds, 

 many must be bred ; and, of course, the greater your choice, the hand- 

 Bomer your pack will become. It will always be easy to keep up the 

 iiumker of old hounds ; for, when your own draft is not sufficient, drafts 

 from other packs may easily be obtained, and at a small expence. When 

 young hounds are hunted together the first season, and have not a 

 sufficient number of old hounds along with them^ it does them more harm 

 than good. 



P 



