THE FARMER 105 



that everything consumed in his stable has been 

 grown on land near which he hunts. Roughly 

 speaking, a horse requires about six quarters of 

 oats for the season, and if you pay a shilling a 

 quarter more than the market price, it only 

 amounts to six shillings per horse, which I think 

 you would not grudge paying for the privilege of 

 riding over the land. A farmer would be very 

 pleased with that extra shilling a quarter, and would 

 then see some advantage in hunting, but I advise 

 you to make him understand at the same time 

 that you know the market price. Some men leave 

 all these transactions to the groom, to save them- 

 selves trouble, and I have already said this is not 

 right ; but even if they allow the groom to do the 

 ordering, they certainly ought not to give him 

 the money to pay. There are, I know, a great 

 many honest and conscientious grooms, but it is 

 putting an unfair temptation in the men's way. 



When the honest groom accepts a present from 

 the farmer or dealer who supplies his master with 

 forage, he has no intention of passing any inferior 

 stuff into the stable, and he thinks he is taking 

 only what custom entitles him to receive. Let 

 him, however, beware, for this is the first down- 



