Mr. Garth's. 267 



meut ground — and a Conservative Grovernnient is 

 several degrees less cautious than one of Liberal tenets. 

 Crops are few and far between in this great moorland 

 area. Mr. Bisset could re-establish staghunting, when 

 it had virtually died out in the west ; could not some 

 one with influence and energy set it going amid the 

 wilds of Bagshot Heath and Windsor Forest ? 



All of Mr. Garth^s country^ however, is not rough. 

 The Reading side is in parts nice enough. Between 

 the Kennels and Wokingham is a stiS" bank -and -ditch 

 country ; there is some pleasant riding by the side of 

 the Blackwater ; while in the neighbourhood of Tilney 

 Hall and Blackwood, touching the Vine, there is good 

 ground and well fenced — though this, too, is under the 

 plough. Taking it throughout, Mr. GartVs can hardly 

 be termed a good scenting country, though like all 

 others it varies much with season and circumstance. 

 The Heath is often difficult to run over, even when a 

 fair scent prevails ; for a fox invariably shirks a bee 

 line across the heather, and runs the beaten tracks, 

 which crossing and cutting into each other, irresistibly 

 tempt him to double and twist. Thus hounds are con- 

 stantly over-shooting the line, and time must often be 

 lost in getting back to recover it. 



Mr. Garth^s hounds are a pack of high class and 

 character, and of a size almost unique among fox- 

 hounds of the present day — some of the dogs standing 

 fully 25 inches. And this is attained without loss of 

 quality, or addition of lumber. The bitches by no 

 means strike the eye as being of extravagant size; 

 and the pack generally gives the idea of smartness and 

 dash. The Kennels are at the Master's place at Haines 



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