CHAPTER XXXV 



SOME TYPES OF SHOOTING TENANTS 



It is with respect to their relations with their hunt- 

 ing neighbours that I purpose to deal with shooting 

 tenants, who from one cause and another are 

 becoming a much more important factor in country 

 life than was at one time thought probable or even 

 possible. Time was when it was difficult indeed 

 to hire a decent shooting, and when a man for some 

 reason put his shooting into the market he could 

 afford to pick and choose amongst the numerous 

 applicants who were sure to come forward. I can 

 remember the time when some men, notwithstand- 

 ing their great wealth, were unable to hire a 

 shooting in certain districts, let their bids be never 

 so liberal. Unfortunately, this is no longer the 

 case, shootings are coming more and more into the 

 market, and it is the shooting tenants who can 

 pick and choose. I use the word " unfortunately " 

 advisedly, for surely it would be better in every way 

 — better for the owner and better for his agricul- 

 tural tenant — were he able to retain his own 

 shooting, leaving out of the question the fact that 

 the reason why there are so many shootings to let 

 is the terrible agricultural depression which seems 

 as if it had come to stop. 



Of course, there are shooting tenants and shoot- 



