452 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



country which nowadays not only serves as cub-hunting 

 ground, but is fortunate enough also to have a separate 

 pack royally maintained in its midst, is never, as I have 

 already said and repeated, seen to such advantage as in 

 the spring. If that spring be moist and exceptionally late 

 in coming, so much the better. And it is in that guise we 

 see it now, viz. so to put it, vi^ithout mud and without 

 dust. The woods and their admirably kept rides are 

 sound and velvety within ; the broad green acres separating 

 wood from wood, to an extent that gives them a right to 

 be termed the ground-work of this timber-tapestried piece ; 

 these are firm but springy, and offer no jar to the gallop, 

 while, as for the occasional arable, that has been gently 

 moistened night after night by timely showers. 



It was said some years ago by a huntsman, to one 

 who had undertaken on emergency to work these wood- 

 lands through the winter, " Beg your pardon, sir, but 

 aren't there a many trees for your liking ? " Perhaps, it 

 might be owned, there are a good many trees beneath 

 which to wander, almost unattended, in midwinter — for 

 the Woodland Pytchley field is not at all times as well 

 developed as at the present moment. Moreover, among 

 these trees the pathways and glades — especially after frost 

 and snow — at times hold a horse with appalling tenacity. 

 But in sunny September or brilliant April the shade may 

 be welcome, and the woodlands are in every respect at 

 their brightest and best. Hounds can in April dash freely 

 through the undercover and drive over the fresh springing 

 grass, while horses fairly dance upon the turf, and go at 

 speed down the green rides that two months ago would 

 have held them like wax. 



Do not suppose that the Brigstock vicinity and its so- 

 called forests are wholly woodland. Far from it. But 

 trees are the predominant feature, even of the open areas 

 betwixt covert and covert. The Duke of Buccleuch's 

 beautiful estate, with Boughton as its centre, is especially 

 remarkable in this respect. I have often before described 

 the wonderful mileage of elm-avenue which surrounds 

 and intersects the property. Suffice it to repeat here 

 that about 1740 "John the Planter," Duke of Montagu, 



