THE MASTER'S EXPENSES 121 



The Hound Show at Peterborough is a great sight, 

 and so beneficial to fox-hunting that I should like to 

 see it far more generously subscribed to and attended 

 by hunling-folk than is now the case. Moreover, the 

 hunting-man has something to gain from the visit, for 

 he may there see the most perfect specimens of hound 

 anywhere brought together, and it is good training for 

 his eye to note the ideal of hound form. Not that 

 every good-looking hound which takes a prize at 

 Peterborough is necessarily a good worker in the field, 

 but the majority realise the expectations formed of 

 them. 



It was once my good fortune to breed a winner, for 

 the Craven "Vagabond " took the cup in 1894, he and 

 his brother, "Valesman," having won the first prize 

 for unentered hounds in 1893. "Vagabond" was 

 second for the cup in 1895, but was on that occasion 

 beaten by the Oakley "Dandy"; and again in 1896 

 he was second, being then beaten by Mr. Fernie's 

 " Ringwood." After that he was never shown again. 



It is, as I said in an article in Baily's Magazine 

 four or five years ago, a great mistake to buy draft 

 hounds, for it is obvious that a draft must be sold for 

 some fault. Of course it happens that some masters 

 are either too nervous of their scant knowledge of the 

 science of breeding, or their servants are too lazy to 

 undertake it single-handed. In either case the stan- 

 dard of excellence of the establishment must go down, 

 for it is practically impossible to maintain the exact 

 character and formation of a pack by buying from 

 different kennels year after year. The only sound 



