The North Herefordshire. 423 



occupies the said red clay — a cold, unscenting soil^ 

 differing of course according- to what is grown on its 

 surface, and differing also according to the weather of 

 the moment^ but never offering more than negative 

 assistance to the efforts of the foxhound. 



The North Herefordshire Country undulates more 

 gently than some of its near neighbours. It is not 

 so rug'ged and hilly as the Ludlow, nor broken with 

 such heights as cross the face of the Ledbury. It has 

 more than an average of grass along its river sides ; 

 corn is grown on the top of every rise, and hops and 

 apples crowd in wherever they are best sheltered and 

 the soil is suitable. A hill rises here and there, and 

 its sides usually offer footing for a large covert, or 

 chain of coverts. The most notable of these is 

 Dinmore, which stands up alone in the middle of 

 the country, and bears several good woods on its 

 shoulders. Round its base winds the River Lag, 

 which runs down the middle of the Country, and 

 whose valley is the greenest, the most open and the 

 best scenting, district in the Hunt. 



The position of the North Herefordshire with 

 reference to London is a point that need scarcely be 

 touched upon : as a five hours' journey (by Great 

 Western) is likely to require some attraction more 

 powerful even than foxhunting (be it of the purest 

 as well as of the simplest type). You know where 

 the city of Hereford lies ; and it is sufficient to say 

 that between it and Leominster (some twelve miles 

 due north) lies the bulk of the North Herefordshire 

 Country, bounded on the east by the River Froome, 

 and having some recognised but intangible boundary 



