114 DRAFTING HOUNDS- 



tractable to walk out in couples, and to proceed in 

 some sort of order from their court-yard to the feeding- 

 room. Some of the forward puppies will come in as 

 early as Christmas ; these should be walked out in 

 couples daily, and taught their names from the very 

 first period of their entering the kennel ; but the 

 education of a young hound may be said to commence 

 from that time when, after being recovered from the 

 effects of rounding, the new entry are first taken out 

 in regular order to foot exercise in couples. Care 

 should be taken not to draft too close, as the ravages 

 caused by the distemper have very frequently so 

 thinned the number " put forward," that there has not 

 been a sufficiency left without having recourse to the 

 second draft of another pack. It is a most excellent 

 custom in many kennels, where the number of puppies 

 will allow of it, to put forward twenty -two or twenty- 

 three couples, and to make a second draft, as soon as 

 the young hounds have recovered, and may be con- 

 sidered safely landed from the effects of the distemper. 

 Three hours on the flags may be very agreeably spent 

 at this season of the year by a real sportsman, but it is a 

 sad bore to one who is not an admirer of the symmetrical. 

 Where hounds are to hunt four or five days a week, 

 sixteen or seventeen couples should be entered ; where 

 the number of hunting days is only twice a week or 

 five times a fortnight, seven or eight couples will be 

 quite as many as will be required. If there are not 

 sufficient good walks in a country to make it worth 

 while to attempt breeding, at any rate during the first 

 two or three years after commencing the formation of 

 a pack, the more advisable plan for securing the 



