178 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



desire on the part of the farmers to discourage hunting in any way ; but quite tlie 

 reverse, and several expressed themselves pleased for hounds to cross their farms 

 when the gentlemen of the Plunt showed proper consideration by doing as little 

 damage as possible. 



(^Signed) E. D. Garde. 



E. J. W. Wood. 



RoBT. S. Wilkinson. 



Hy. Cooper. 



Richard Boote. 



The season of 1890-91 was decidedly below the average 

 of the North Staffordshire Hunt for sport, and was summed 

 up by S. Dickins in his diary at the end of the season as 

 " the worst on record." Still, it must be a downright bad 

 season indeed that does not produce some good gallops ; 

 and we shall find, as we study the local records, that even 

 this gloomy season did occasionally provide sport for the 

 ardent followers of hounds in North Staffordshire. 



The following extracts are from Dickins's diary : — 



" November 3rd, 1890. Woore. — Found at Canridden. Ran to Pipe Gate, 

 and lost. Found another in Mill Hay. Ran a ring to gi-ound in Canridden. 

 Went to Buerton Gorse. Found. Ran by College Fields and Buerton village, 

 away to Hankelow, and on by Broomlands to Doddington, through and on to 

 Wybunbury, and stopped hounds at dark." 



On November 7th Dickins has this rather unique 

 entry : " Meet was at Shalloivford House. Went there, 

 but did not hunt because of the big storm.'' The writer 

 does not remember what this refers to, but it must have 

 been pretty bad to stop hunting altogether for the day 

 so early in the season. 



'^ November 12th, 1890. Moddershall Mill. — Found in the Oaks. Ran a 

 ring, to ground in the main earths — not stopped properly. Then went to 

 Draycot ; found in Hose Wood. Ran a fast ring, and away to Painsley, to the 

 left by Cresswell as if for Stallingtou, but bore to the right, and killed at Blythe 

 Bridge. Found another at Cocknage, and ran to New Park, and lost him. 



"December 1st, 1890. Norton-in-Hales. — Found a good fox in the osiers at 

 Betton. Ran by the Brand and Norton to Bellaport, and on by Dorrington to 

 Near Wood, and killed him near College Field. Went back to Betton ; found 

 again ^n the New Covert. Ran to Brown Hills, and away by Norton to Bella- 

 port, round to Golling's Rough, and lost him. Drew GoUing's Rough, but did 

 not find." 



After December 10th a long frost set in, which stopped 

 all hunting with these hounds until January 26th, 1891. 



