NOVEMBER 257 



wise to hesitate before condemning them wholesale, 

 and irreparably destroying them. 



Here, again, I am wandering away from the question 

 of improving the stock of deer, and increasing their 

 importance as food for men. Much may be done by 

 good management and careful selection of breeders. 

 Hitherto, none of that skill and forethought that has 

 rendered British cattle and sheep the finest in the 

 world had been bestowed upon deer until Mr. Winans 

 applied himself to the task many years ago. He has 

 set forth in the volume above quoted the results 

 attained, and the means by which they were attained. 

 Too often — as a rule, in fact — park deer are kept on 

 the same pasture for generations, even for centuries, 

 without any attempt to maintain or improve the 

 quality of the grass, which is allowed to become harsh 

 and poor. Mr. Winans lays much stress upon the 

 advantage of fencing off portions of the park in rota- 

 tion, to be top-dressed and rested for a year or more 

 before the deer are allowed on again. The herd should 

 -always be provided with rock salt to lick, which greatly 

 improves their condition,^ and to all deer, especially 

 red deer, water in the shape of a stream or pools is a 

 primary requisite, and the more mud and marsh the 

 better, to roll in when flies are troublesome. 



Fallow deer run into more varieties than red deer ; 

 he who takes intelligent pride in his herd will aim at 

 having it of a uniform type, whether that be the 

 bay, the spotted, the black, the grey, or any other 



^ To how few owners of live-stock doea it occur to provide this 

 wholesome luxury in their stables and byres. 



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