30 REMINISCEXCES OF A SPORTSMAN". 



when he has got up a tolerable stock of hares, allow 

 them to have a day's sport, and not to shoot them when 

 found in the fields except when he is much in want of 

 a brace, and is unable to procure them in the woods, in 

 the early part of the season, on account of the thick 

 foliage. Above all he should be liberal in giving 

 them game ; and who has a better title to it than the 

 farmer, who affords it sustenance the greater part of 

 the year? The only exception to this is when the 

 pheasants are fed by the landlord during the winter : 

 if he does all this, I think he may reasonably calculate 

 that the tenants will forward his wishes to get up a 

 sufficient stock of game for the amusement of himself 

 and friends. But when there is an hostile feeling between 

 the landlord and his gamekeeper and his tenants, it is 

 undoubtedly up-hill work to accomplish the above 

 object ; for it is obvious that the farmer who is constantly 

 riding or walking about his farm must have in a 

 variety of ways opportunities of destroying the game, 

 more especially in the breeding season ; and the la- 

 bourers of the farmer are apt frequently to espouse 

 the cause of their master, and assist in the destruction 

 of the game, and there is no doubt this can be done in 

 spite of the vigilance and activity of the keeper. Where 

 tenants hold only yearly leases from their landlord, he 

 has certainly the power to give the farmer notice to 

 quit when he finds little or no game on his farm, for 

 he may then be pretty sure that there is some foul 

 play going on. A farmer who is a skilful agriculturist 

 may be considered an enemy to game in one sense ; for 

 in order to keep his corn crop clean he has it frequently 

 weeded, which disturbs the birds and prevents their 

 making the nest. In harvest time he is apt to mow his 



