182 PREPARATION OF BARLEY MEAL. 



hour, and is not only better but cheaper food for 

 dogs of all kmds than barley-meal; but as the 

 latter is more generally used for setters, spaniels, 

 and pointers, I will point out how Masters may 

 ascertain whether this meal has been properly pre- 

 pared or not, the manner in which it should be 

 scalded being of the first importance. The dry 

 meal should be placed in a bucket (or pan, where 

 two or three dogs only are to be fed) and boiling 

 water poured upon it — warm water w411 have no 

 effect — stirring it the while, and then left to stand, 

 covered over, for at least half an hour before it is 

 used, after which it may be broken up and reduced 

 to a proper consistency with skim milk or broth, 

 mixed with meat. Now any Master may easily dis- 

 cover whether the barley-meal has been duly pre- 

 pared or not by this test : if properly scalded it 

 will be of a dark colour, sticky, and difficult to 

 mix up ; but if warm water only has been used, 

 the meal will be of a light colour and of little con- 

 sistency ; and as " the proof of the pudding is in 

 the eating," great attention must be paid to this 

 particular point, or a double quantity will be 

 used, and the dogs suffer as well as the Master's 

 pocket. 



In kennels of fox-hounds barley-meal is seldom 

 used now-a-days, but harriers are still fed upon 



