280 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



What, then, is the remedy for this state of things? 

 and how can an entente cordiale be thoroughly established 

 and maintained between the fox-hunter and the farmer ? 

 We do not think that any one sovereign remedy can be 

 prescribed which should at once and for ever do away with 

 all friction between two classes whose interests must to 

 some extent necessarily clash, but we are convinced that 

 much may be done, by thoughtful and considerate treat- 

 ment on the part of sportsmen, to reconcile farmers to the 

 existence of fox-hunting in their midst, and we venture 

 to think that one of the speakers at the Nantwich Farmers' 

 Club hit the right nail on the head when he remarked 

 " that if some means could be devised for extending 

 business relations between farmers and the Hunt, fanners 

 would not object to a good customer riding over their 

 land." 



The same speaker also suggested " that claims for 

 loss of poultry, stock, and exceptional damage to growing 

 crops and clover root should be dealt with by a joint 

 committee of assessors consisting of farmers and repre- 

 sentatives of the Hunt." In the North Staffordshire Hunt 

 we may observe that this plan has practically been adopted 

 for years, the Poultry Fund and Damage Committee 

 having for many years past consisted of farmers and fox- 

 hunters in something like equal proportions ; and this has 

 been found to work on the whole exceedingly well, the 

 farmers bringing to bear not only an invaluable knowledge 

 of the subject, but also evidencing a desire to treat the 

 claims, as a rule, with commendable fairness and modera- 

 tion. We do not know in how many other Hunts the 

 same rule prevails, but we imagine that in very many 

 carefully managed Hunts something of the kind exists. 



Then in the matter of purchases of forage much may 

 be done, and has been done, to promote the purchase of 

 oats and hay and straw directly from the farmers of the 

 district, and so to put the full profit into the pocket of 

 the farmer, where it ought to go, instead of into the pocket 

 of the dealer, and thus help to popularize the cause of fox- 



