288 HUNTING TOURS. 



concur. The now common practice of plough- 

 ing up the stubbles immediately after harvest 

 is one of the most prejudicial operations, but 

 as it is so conducive to the interests of the 

 farmers we must gracefully accept the custom 

 ■without a murmur. On the other hand, as 

 arable .cultivation has increased, so has the 

 keeping of cattle in the yards; and sheep 

 are the sole occupants of the open fields; 

 they, too, are mostly folded, by which means 

 the impediments they present when roving at 

 large are materially diminished. 



There is much difficulty in arriving at any 

 precise data by which it can be determined 

 when foxhounds were first introduced to the 

 Belvoir kennels. It has been asserted that 

 they have been established over one hundred 

 and thirty years, but I am unable to find 

 any authority to confirm that inference. The 

 earliest date of entries supplied by the manu- 

 script lists at the kennel commences with 

 1756. That they were established previously 

 to that year there can be no doubt, as the 

 list to which I refer relates to the entry of 

 young hounds, one of which owed his pater- 

 nity to Mr. Noel's Victor, That gentleman 

 must have been master of the pack then 



