HUNTING TOURS. 65 



culties appertaining to the arable cultivation 

 adopted on a light soil. The cream of the coun- 

 try lies on the west of a line of road running 

 from the south to the north, midway between 

 Grantham and Brigg, in which Lincoln occu- 

 pies a central position, and this road may be 

 described as passing through the midst of the 

 country. There is, too, a fine estate at 

 Blankney, halfway between Sleaford and Lin- 

 coln, where foxes are fostered with the utmost 

 care by Mr. Chaplin, who occupies the stables 

 at Lincoln which were built by the late Mr. 

 Assheton Smith when he hunted the country. 

 At the time of my visit Mr. Chaplin had taken 

 a trip to Melton, consequently his horses 

 were absent, and I had not the chance of see- 

 ing them, which I greatly regretted, as I was 

 informed they are of unusually high cha- 

 racter. The extensive property of which Mr. 

 Chaplin is the proprietor affords a most 

 pleasing illustration of what may be accom- 

 plished by high farming when conducted by 

 talented, wealthy tenants, under a good land- 

 lord. At Mr. King's, of Ashby, also, there 

 is invariably a rare lot of foxes, in the midst 

 of a profusion of game, and the country 

 throughout is well stocked. The long-esta- 



