OBSERVATIONS ON FOX-HUNTING 131 



which would only allow of being hunted twice 

 a week, requested me to give him my opinion 

 what number of hounds, horses, &c. he should 

 require. At the present rate of taxes, supposing 

 the price of corn, meal, hay, &c. to be what 

 it is now, I should say, for twice a week only, 

 twenty-five couples of effective hounds would be 

 sufficient ; and, supposing you hunted your own 

 hounds, and had only one whipper-in, five horses, 

 and a hack for yourself and servant, would be 

 quite enough. You must also have a groom, 

 helper, and a feeder : making in the whole, four 

 men, five-and-twenty couples of hounds, five 

 hunters, and a hack. The earth-stopping expenses 

 will depend upon the country. The calculation 

 I have made is as follows : 



The expenses for tivice a week. 



£. 



Six horses, including groom and helpers, . 300 



Hounds' food, for 25 couples, 150 



Firing, 30 



Taxes, 80 



Whipper-in and feeder, 140 



Earth-stopping, 50 



Sadlery, 40 



Farriery, shoeing, medicine, &c 50 



