THE MASTER'S EXPENSES 105 



the farmers of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, 

 that they reap so Httle benefit from the immense 

 amount of hunting carried on almost daily throughout 

 the season over their lands. Although, however, it may 

 stand to reason that oats cannot be raised in a grass 

 field, hunting men should never miss the opportunity 

 of buying from the farmer whose fences they break 

 and whose lands they ride over. 



Price of Oats. — The price of oats varies with the 

 seasons, and naturally old oats are dearer than new. 



The best plan is to make up your mind to lay in your 

 stock of corn in August, for you will then be certain 

 you are buying the oats of last year, as the new will 

 hardly be off the ground, much less thrashed. 



In a fair, ordinary year you should be able to buy 

 oats, in an oat country, at a sovereign or a guinea a 

 quarter, perhaps a shilling or two more ; but it must be 

 distinctly understood that this means buying direct 

 from the farmer and employing no middleman. 



You would find that a corn-dealer would charge you 

 from eight-and-twenty to thirty shillings for old oats, 

 as he, of course, has to make his profit and live. 



Always buy, if possible, direct from the farmer, and 

 mind to do the business yourself instead of leaving it to 

 your huntsman or groom. The closer the Master is in 

 touch with the farmer, the better it will be for the 

 Hunt. Your oats should never weigh less than 40 lbs. 

 a bushel, and as much over that as you can get them. 



A hunt horse in full work should eat nearly two 

 bushels of oats a week. He will not require so much 

 all the year round, as in summer he will be either 



