26 HUNTING 



however, is still left to him, encouraged by hunting in 

 many ways. For, not only does the hunting-field 

 provide him with a market for his horses, but in most 

 hunting counties there exists an Entire-Horse Fund for 

 the benefit of farmers over whose land hounds cross, so 

 that a farmer having a brood mare, from which he 

 wishes to breed, may have the services of a stallion 

 gratis, and save the initial cost of a covering fee. 

 Finally, it is no exaggeration to say that, owing to the 

 encouragement given to horse-breeding by hunting, 

 England stands out as the market for horse flesh for 

 the whole world. 



In regard to the second item, namely, the market for 

 fodder supplied by hunting, we will again place figures 

 before the reader. Every one of the 15,000 horses 

 used exclusively for hunting purposes costs in fodder 

 ten shillings a week to keep : therefore, £7500 is spent 

 weekly on hunters' fodder, or £390,000 per annum, 

 out of which sum at least £350,000 goes into the 

 pocket of the farmer, to say nothing of the money 

 spent on fodder for horses not used exclusively for 

 hunting. This is allowing a handsome commission 

 to corn-dealers, corn-factors, et hoc omne genus. Of late 

 years it has become the fashion to do away with this 

 commission as far as possible, for the benefit of the 

 farmers. Lord Lonsdale, than whom the farmers 

 have had few better friends, when he accepted the 

 office as Master of the Quorn, at the end of the season 

 1892-1893, at once devoted his energies to doing every- 

 thing in his power to assist the landowners and 

 farmers. Two sheets weekly of the Melton Moivhray 

 Times and LougKborough Advertiser were filled up 

 with four columns as follows : 



