The South Berkshire. 263 



plantations which cover tlie country across to Mortimer 

 West End. It is queer riding among these miles of 

 fir trees ; but you must get through them quickly — 

 leaving it to your horse to do most of the steering — 

 for, as in the rougher portions of Mr. Garth^s country^ 

 hounds generally own to a lively scent. If the meet 

 be the Round Oak, Padworth, the early part of the day 

 is spent among the fir trees ; and then they probably 

 find themselves in Padworfch Gully or Upton Park. 

 The three fixtures of The Kennels, The Swan at 

 Burghfield Village, and The Bell at Grazeley all lead to 

 Penge Wood, the Barghfield coverts, and Beech Hill 

 — the last-named being also often a meet. Sulham- 

 stead House is for Major Thoyts^ coverts there, with 

 Brazenhead, Boar Moor and Omer's Gully to follow, 

 and so on to Starveall. At Twyford Gate they get 

 Mr. Wheble^s coverts, and Mr. Hargreaves^ at Maiden 

 Erlegh. Wokefield Park (Major Allfrey^s) has excellent 

 coverts, from which they generally get quickly away, 

 and may run down to Strathfield Saye. Shinfield is 

 quite on the border adjoining Mr. GartVs. By the 

 side of the Loddon are many small coverts, among the 

 little meadows ; foxes are plentiful and the scent good. 

 Chequers Green, Strathfield Saye, is more often an 

 after- Christmas meet, for the Duke of Wellington's 

 property. And though permission is withheld till 

 late in the winter, foxes are then usually to be found. 



The South Berks cross the river (the Thames) about 

 once a month, for their province in the shire of Oxford. 

 No particular day is set apart for the beech woods 

 adjoining Lord Macclesfield's territory. But they 

 seldom go there on a Friday, and Thursday is, perhaps. 



