Fox-hunting Past mid Present 



Pessimists have from time to time averred that 

 the sport is doomed and its days numbered to 

 twenty-five years. Sixty odd years ago the same 

 was prophesied. So far, railways have not ended 

 the sport. Wire-fencing has come more into 

 vogue, and pheasant-rearing in some countries is 

 of colossal proportions, and the fox is not every- 

 where held in the same veneration as formerly. 

 To counterbalance all this, however, the farmer 

 is treated in a much more business-like manner 

 than formerly : his wishes and his claims for 

 poultry damage are listened to with a ready ear ; 

 also his damage to crops, if any, and these should be 

 few. *' Ware wheat ! " How often do you not hear 

 it, or, rather, should you not hear it, in the early 

 spring ? Then there are many men who will also 

 buy their forage from the county farmers. Then 

 there are many counties where the hunting feeling 

 is paramount, and vulpicide execrated. Here, how- 

 ever, you would probably note that pheasant- 

 rearing on any large scale is not attempted. Then, 

 say, forty miles farther on, you will find the 

 opposite state of affairs exists. Things go on 

 fairly smoothly here for a time, perchance, as the 

 system of ''putting down" foxes obtains in this 

 country or hunt, call it which you like. A keeper 

 here would own up to fox-destroying. Men, 

 however, in good positions in a county have 

 before now been branded with the stigma of 



