FARMING AND FOXHUNTING — I938 



hunter. I stress the word " good," because many- 

 are apt to buy something cheap and hope for the 

 best. This invariably leads to disappointment and 

 perhaps loss. They ought to buy, or breed, some- 

 thing of good quality, break it with care, ride it 

 with courage, and then a good profit is assured. 

 Remember that the standard of hunting, like every 

 other standard to-day, is on the up grade, and the 

 successful man is the one who can find the goods. 



A. H. : Well, you have painted a rosy picture of 

 the benefits of foxhunting. What about the damages 

 done by some of these large fashionable packs ? 

 These are hard times for farmers, you know. 



C. W. W. : Well, take damage done to fences 

 first ; most Hunts are paying out a bonus of 2s. 6d. 

 per chain to the farmer who is willing to get on 

 with his hedge cutting. This disposes of any little 

 difficulty about fences. The question of poultry 

 losses is, I am afraid, a little more serious. The 

 poultry side of farming has increased very much of 

 late years, and bills which are sent into the Hunts 

 for losses keep mounting up and up. I know the 

 Cricklade country pay out about ^^450 a year in 

 poultry claims. Let's assume this is an average 

 payment for all the various Hunts in the country. 

 If this is correct we have the good round sum of 

 £67,500 paid out annually to the poultry farmer. 

 I know all Masters of hounds are very anxious about 

 this increased destruction by the foxes. I am hope- 

 ful myself that, in time, as the poultry farmer 

 reconditions his equipment, he will adopt the 

 modern principle of fox-proof housing. I honestly 



175 



