58 OLD OATMEAL THE BEST. 



boiling, which made oatmeal thick, made barley thin ; 

 and that when you feed with barley only, it should not 

 be put into the copper, but be scalded with the liquor, 

 and mixed up in a bucket. I find there is in my 

 kennel a large tub on purpose, which contains about 

 half a hogshead." And in a few pages before the lines 

 quoted he says. " Oatmeal, I believe, makes the best 

 meat for hounds ; barley, is certainly the cheapest ; 

 and in many kennels they give barley on that account ; 

 but it is heating, does not mix up so well, nor is there 

 so much proof in it as in oatmeal. If mixed, an equal 

 quantity of each, it will do very well; but barley alone 

 will not." Thus we see that although Beckford has no 

 objection ^to the occasional use of it, yet he by no 

 means advises it for constant consumption. In the 

 summer of 1834, when wheat was down at 15s. per 

 bag (of three bushels), I tried that for some consider- 

 able time ; but the hounds by no means did so well 

 upon it, as upon oatmeal. The only time that barley- 

 flour could be recommended is in case of hounds being 

 obliged to use new meal ; a little under such circum- 

 stances well scalded (not boiled), and mixed in the 

 trough with the oatmeal, will prevent the new meal 

 from purging them, which it otherwise would do. 

 The meal for the day's consumption should be brought 

 immediately from the meal-house, instead of having a 

 quantity put into a bin made to hold sufficient for 

 a week or a fortnight to save trouble ; as old meal, as 

 well as new, which has been lately moved, undergoes 

 a process of fermentation and invariably causes 

 purging. It is highly reprehensible for any one to 

 subject himself to such an inconvenience, particularly 



