FARMERS. 315 



Treating farmers as friends, and giving them social recog- 

 nition, will do more than money to keep down wire and prevent 

 friction. At the same time, the authorities of a hunt should 

 be prepared to give just compensation for damage. A farmer 

 cannot be expected to take down wire and put up posts and 

 rails at his own expense for the benefit of hunting people. 

 In a certain fashionable country, I have seen great harm to 

 hunting arise, from the M. F. H., with undoubtedly good 

 intentions, paying for the taking down of wire in some cases ; 

 the result being that other farmers put up wire for the 

 first time in their lives, so that they also might be squared. 

 Compensation and civility, and no bribery, should be the 

 rule. 



The conciliation of farmers by tactful and generous treat- 

 ment is incumbent not only on the authorities of a hunt, but 

 also on each of its members ; for official effort in this delicate 

 matter will often fail without individual support. Dealing 

 with farmers for stable and house supplies can generally be 

 made a strong bond of union ; but, unfortunately, stud grooms 

 in some cases are so exorbitant in their demands for com- 

 mission, that their masters' custom is not worth having. To 

 allow a farmer a fair profit, a hunting man ought to make his 

 own purchases of forage from him, which is an undertaking 

 that demands special knowledge possessed by few hunting 

 men, who lose half the pleasure to be got out of horses, by 

 leaving all stable details in the hands of their grooms. When 

 Lord Lonsdale hunted the Quorn country, which he did in a 

 prince-like manner, he made a practice of advertising at his 

 own expense the names, addresses and nature of the stable 

 supplies of all the farmers of his district, so that the members 

 of the Quorn hunt might be able to obtain their hay, corn, 

 straw, etc., direct from the local producer. In those days, 

 almost all the stud grooms continued to patronise the 

 Melton corn dealer, who, besides being a good business 



