BENEFITS OEPllACTiCAL KNOWLEDGE. 179 



night, put away by themselves the most quarrel- 

 some. Pursue this plan for a week to begin with, 

 when the second exercise with the horses may be 

 dispensed with. 



As a general rule in my own kennel, our hounds 

 were seldom permitted to remain in the lodging- 

 room during the summer, except at the breakfast 

 and dinner hours, and always fed in the evening, 

 because this practice is so necessary to keep fox- 

 hounds in health and condition, and prevent them 

 tearing each other to pieces through idleness. I 

 have said that to a good huntsman who does his 

 duty, the summer is as busy a time as the hunt- 

 ing-season, and I mean it. There is no operation 

 or work connected with the kennel, stable, or field 

 which I have not performed with my own hand, 

 from the dressing of a horse to the mowing of a 

 crop of grass ; and this knowledge I have ever 

 found useful to me, because if I saw any man 

 using an implement in his hand unskilfully, or 

 doing his work carelessly, I could at once show 

 him how it ought to be done. The reflection is 

 often cast by servants on their masters when find- 

 ing fault, " What does he know about it ? I 

 should like to see him doing it !" 



To a country gentleman, therefore, who is fond 

 of hunting and farming, ;practical knowledge is 



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