166 ON THE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



to be obtained, and when the Pytchley meet at the 

 well-known cover, "Crick" by name, or the North 

 Warwickshire go a cracker from Hillmarton, then the 

 man who follows my advice will admit that he owes 

 me gratitude for the information. 



But after indulging so long in generalities, I 

 cannot refrain from entering into particulars of a 

 special good time that I have recently fallen in with. 

 Circumstances having drawn me to the pleasantly- 

 situated town of Tunbridge Wells, whither I had 

 wandered in search of the bucolic though the 

 picturesque is not wanting in that delightful locality 

 I made one of the many who attended the show of 

 the Tunbridge Wells Agricultural Association. Under 

 the pleasant tutelage of Mr. J. F. Bates, the occupier 

 of the land upon which the show took place, and with 

 the kindly assistance of Mr. Durrant, the efficient and 

 popular secretary o the Farmers' Club, etc., I was 

 able to inspect the leading articles of the show; and 

 noting the marvellous pens of Southdowns, majestic 

 bulls, stately cows, and prolific pigs, which were ex- 

 hibited, I formed a rapid conclusion to the effect that 

 it is not all over as yet with the British farmer. 

 Others may have quantity, but he has the quality, as 

 shown by the successful exhibition of agricultural 

 produce. I witnessed the competition for the prize to 

 be given to the best hunter, and watched the Earl of 

 Lewes, Lord George, and Lord Henry Nevili com- 

 peting, with several others, for the silver cup ; and I 

 wondered how Mr. Fitch Kemp and the other judges 

 ever arrived at a conclusion as to which was the best. 

 Roaming amongst the pens of sheep and cattle, I fell 



