120 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



Feeding. 



principle of it, is also much inferior ; even when mixed* 

 with oat-meal it is not advisable food ; and it is, on the 

 whole, more expensive than oat-meal, tho' the first cost 

 may appear not so great. However, I have reason to 

 believe that the quality of the oat-meal is not always 

 sufficiently regarded ; and even the best of oat-meal is 

 very much improved by keeping for two years, as I have 

 already observed. I have known instances, where what 

 is called Bread Dust has been substituted for oat-meal ; 

 but it has not been found equal to the latter : — by Bread 

 Dust is meant the refuse of ship bread or biscuit, which 

 may be purchased in the large sea-port towns in almost 

 any quantity. Where horse flesh happens to be scarce, 

 cow heels, bellies, and sheep's trotters will make an ex- 

 cellent substitute. 



In many kennels, they do not boil for the hounds in 

 summer, I believe ; but give them meal only : — I sliould 

 certainly prefer boiling : though the meat at this period 

 might be mixed up thinner, and be thus more conducive 

 to the health of the hounds. Indeed, in the hunting 

 season, when many of the hounds, after long rest, become 

 too fat, feeding them on thinner meat than the rest is 

 more advisable than stinting them in the quantity of it. 



* On this subject, Beckford observes — " I have enquired of my feeder, 

 who is a very good one, how he mixes up his meat. He tells me that, in 

 his opinion, oat-meal and barley mixt, an equal quantity of each, make 

 the best meat for hounds. The oat-meal he boils for half an hour, and 

 then puts out the fire, puts the barley into the copper, and mixes both well 

 together. I asked him why he boiled one and not the other ? — he told 

 me, boiling, which made the oat-meal 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." 



