CHAPTER VII 



RACE-COURSES 



On keeping a galloping track in order — Efifect of gi'ound on horses — 

 Measuring courses — Lengths of different courses in India. 



The climate and the hardness of the ground are the two 

 great difificulties which a trainer has to contend against in 

 India. When a race-course is on the ordinary soil we 

 meet with in this presidency, having generally a sub- 

 stratum of hunhiir, nothing but constant manuring and 

 picking up can keep it in order. This costs so much that 

 the clerk of the course (unless the race fund be par- 

 ticularly rich) may be well contented if he can keep a 

 galloping track, even if only four yards broad, in good 

 going order all the year round. Just before the close of 

 the rains, he should take advantage of the softness of the 

 ground to plough it up. It will cost about Es. 30 a mile 

 to plough and harrow a course 40 feet broad. If the 

 ploughing be delayed, nothing but the pick-axe will touch 

 hard soil. When arranging coolies for picking up ground, 

 it is a good plan to have two men to each pick-axe, or hoe 

 {'phiirwa), so that one may relieve the other. They will, 

 alternately, pulverize the clods with a wooden batten 

 (mungurree or tapee). The cost of labour may be calculated 

 as follows : — 



P 



