SPORTING FOR MEN OF MODERATE MEANS 265 



yourself — that is, if you have temper and patience. 

 February is the time to commence with your young- 

 dogs. You can keep them at work for six weeks 

 or two months ; by that time good fishing will be 

 in. I care not to commence fishing too early. 



One of the first things you must do is to put up 

 a good serviceable kennel, where your dogs can lie 

 dry and warm. It must be well drained — if pos- 

 sible, with a stream of water running through it. 

 You need not go to any great expense, but it must 

 be well paved, and constantly hot-lime washed, to 

 keep it sweet and wholesome, and the ticks and 

 vermin under. 



I will not here give any directions how they are 

 to be made, because that depends a great deal on 

 the place you have — the space, convenience, and so 

 forth — but wherever you build them, let there be a 

 good large yard for the dogs to run about in. Let 

 the benches they lie on fold back against the wall, 

 so that you may wash under them ; and made with 

 a flap in front, that the dogs, when tired, cannot 

 crawl under them, which they will very often do. 

 Benches are generally made in bars three inches 

 wide, with an inch space between each, to let all 

 the dust, small bits of straw, &c, through. Your 

 dogs must always be well bedclecl — if straw is 

 expensive and difficult to get, good dry fern will 



