THE BRANDYWINE 



In his opinion, there is no such distinction, in fact, as an English foxhound 

 and an American foxhound. To quote his own words : " A thorough- 

 bred foxhound is the same in England as in America. We come down to 

 the distinction of hounds of pure blood and hounds that have been crossed 

 with other breeds. These crosses have been so numerous that it is impos- 

 sible to breed these crossed or so-called ' native ' hounds with any degree of 

 certainty as to what the produce will be." 



The result of his breeding is that he has produced a pack of foxhounds 

 which have become thoroughly localized and which are, in reality, to again 

 quote his ovm words : " Chester County hounds, all having been bred on 

 the farm for more generations than the average American, and are, there- 

 fore, English by descent only. I feel positively sure that my home-bred 

 hounds are faster and have better noses and voices than their imported pro- 

 genitors. Also, I think that they have become more self-reliant because of 

 the necessity of giving them a wider range when drawing our large wood- 

 lands. Foxes hereabouts are very wild and strong and on one recent 

 occasion in February my hounds ran one fox from 8:30 a. m. until 3:00 

 p. m., finally putting him to ground. There were only a few short checks, 

 and hounds were at no time lifted. The pace was fast throughout, and 

 horses couldn't live with them at the finish." 



The attitude of the landowners in the Brandywine country is most friendly, 

 they having been accustomed to fox-hunting all their lives, many of them 

 following the hounds themselves, while others see what they can of the 

 day's hunting on foot. 



In fact, Chester County is one of the most ideal hunting countries in the 

 United States. Fox-hunting has been the winter sport of the community 

 ever since Colonial days, and at one towTiship, a few years ago, there was 

 celebrated the one-hundredth anniversary of a meet of foxhounds at a cer- 

 tain farm with over five hundred hounds. 



Mr. Mather maintains extensive stabling at his Brandywine Meadow 

 Farm in Birmingham township — the Brandywine battlefield. There the 

 hounds and hunters are bred, and for some years past no outside purchases 

 have been made. Whenever these are required, whether for horse or hound, 



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