The Earl of Radnor's. 205 



from the Kennels of Lord Fitzliardinge, Lord Ports- 

 mouth, and the Bramham Moor. 



The Hampshire Avon, flowing directly southward 

 from Salisbury, cuts through the country at its 

 narrowest point ; and runs down its edge to separate 

 it from the jungly wastes of the New Forest — a totally 

 different kind of ground, as compared with what is 

 met with over the greater part of Lord Radnor^s 

 country. The latter partakes largely of the character 

 possessed by the Tedworth, much of the Craven, and 

 many parts of the H. H. and other Hampshire 

 countries. The open hillsides, once grassy downs, 

 have now to a great extent been ploughed up — the 

 thin turf giving way to light flint covered arable, good 

 for neither agriculture nor foxhunting. Where the 

 down remains untouched, a flying scent is frequently 

 experienced ; but the plough requires a thorough 

 wetting before it will hold anything like a fair scent. 

 On a sterling scenting day, hounds can of course fling 

 at a great pace over these steep unfenced hills ; and a 

 fast well-bred horse alone will live with them. For 

 such ground he need not be an accomplished hunter, 

 in the strictest sense of the definition ; for he will 

 meet with little if anything demanding a collected 

 and educated efibrt. But, if occasion allows of hounds 

 running, he must be able to collar hill and vale without 

 flinching or tiring. On the edge of the New Forest, 

 on the other hand, banks-and-ditches call for all the 

 astuteness of an Irish hunter. Again, where strong 

 hazel-fences divide such inclosures as are scattered 

 between the various woodlands of the upper half of 

 the country, horse and man must both possess a due 



