ioo FOX-HUNTING 



are the most likely to be injured by being 

 ridden over, then beans, tares, and last of all, 

 wheat. Many people think that wheat is not 

 hurt by horses trampling it down, and I am 

 certain no harm is done to it in moderately dry 

 weather ; but no farmer likes to see hoof-marks 

 across a field that is newly sown, and we must 

 study his feelings. Old turf does not suffer from 

 being ridden over, except late in March when the 

 ground is wet, and then the marks will never 

 disappear all summer. If it is an early spring, 

 masters would do well to stop hunting a week 

 or two before the usual time, and make it up by 

 beginning sooner the next season. The ground 

 is generally very hard at the end of March, and 

 then not much harm is done ; but if there should 

 come a heavy rain, one day's hunting under these 

 circumstances will cause more friction than a whole 

 season. The beginning of April ought always to 

 see the end of the season, whatever the weather 

 may be, for the farmer wants to mend his gaps, 

 roll his meadows, and set everything ready to 

 grow when the summer comes. 



I need hardly say that your hand should be 

 ever ready to go into your pocket when it is a 



