CHAPTER V 

 THE FIELD 



SUBSCRIPTIONS 



IN a majority of the works which have been written 

 on hunting the ** field " has been little treated of, 

 and in the earlier days of the sport there was 

 probably no necessity for any discussion concerning 

 the crowd of men which followed hounds every day, 

 and whose subscriptions, in nine hunts out of ten, 

 kept the hunt on its legs. But in these days the field 

 is a most important factor in the well-being of any hunt, 

 and it must therefore be considered from various points 

 of view. 



In earlier times masters of hounds, and occasionally 

 a few bigwigs of the district, managed a hunt much as 

 they pleased, and whatever they did was, if not actually 

 approved of, acquiesced in by the field as a matter of 

 course. But various changes in the methods of con- 

 ducting the business of a hunt, and the altered condi- 

 tions under which country life is carried on, have 

 brought out— in many, but not in all districts — a differ- 

 ent state of affairs, and in point of fact fields have as 

 a rule increased very largely everywhere, while sub- 

 scriptions have been raised, and many hunts are no 

 longer private affairs, but are really managed by a com- 

 mittee, the master's duties being confined to showing 

 sport in the field and to directing matters at the 

 kennels. 



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