THE FUTURE OF HARE-HUNTING 313 



But, perhaps, some of my readers may say : " We 

 have no hares left in our country and it is impossible 

 to get them up again." I doubt the impossibility of 

 raising a fair stock of hares in almost any country, 

 given the goodwill of some few of the farmers, a thing 

 surely not incredibly difficult of achievement. I have 

 shown in earlier chapters how prolific hares are and 

 how rapidly they increase. Even in districts practi- 

 cally depleted of these animals, a fair head could be 

 raised, in the course of a season or two, by turning 

 down a few couples. With even a moderate amount 

 of preservation, it is astonishing how almost inordi- 

 nately plentiful they will speedily become. It is 

 rather curious that at the present day hare-warrens 

 are so neglected. In Beckford's time they were 

 evidently common, and many squires trapped hares 

 and made use of them for turning down, or for sport, 

 as required. One would not, of course, advocate 

 hunting or coursing trapped hares, but warrens might 

 well be utilised for the purpose of increasing the stock 

 in other places. The warren was paled in. It usually 

 consisted of a wood of twenty or thirty acres, cut in 

 places into various walks. Traps were constantly 

 set for stoats, weasels, and pole-cats, and no dog was 

 ever allowed within the enclosure. Parsley was 

 recommended to be planted, as giving hares strength 

 and keeping them at home. It is certain that they 

 are very fond of this vegetable. 



When hares were required they were duly trapped, 

 the traps being placed at the meuses, but only set 

 when hares were wanted. By this means the animals 

 became accustomed to them and were readily taken 

 when required. It was recommended that the traps 

 should be made of old wood, and even then it took 

 time before the hares became accustomed to them. 



