i84 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



of late years golf links and a polo ground have been 

 added to its advantages. The Leamington Polo 

 ground at Sydenham farm is an excellent one, and 

 every year the best players may be seen at its annual 

 tournament. 



Mr. Baker further established the reputation of the 

 North Warwickshire country by engaging Peter 

 Collison as his huntsman and by making with his 

 help an excellent pack of hounds. Mr. Baker worked 

 his woodlands thoroughly, and this, too, tended to 

 improve sport. Lastly, he made a most interesting 

 experiment by crossing his hounds with bloodhounds. 

 Of these a contemporary wrote, " Although some years 

 have passed since the first cross, there remains in the 

 descendants of the union unmistakable evidence of 

 the bloodhound original in both colour and appear- 

 ance and they are said to possess great superiority of 

 nose." Yet the cross has not commended itself to 

 many Masters or huntsmen, and I am inclined to 

 doubt whether every quality that is required may not 

 be reached by careful selection and judicious crossing 

 of existing lines of fox-hound blood, without resorting 

 to such violent outcrosses. However, this is by the 

 way ; and at the present time Mr. Arkwright and 

 Tom Carr, his huntsman, have a capital pack of hounds 

 and show great sport. 



A glance at the map will make it plain that Leaming- 

 ton is conveniently situated for the greater part of 

 both the Warwickshire countries, of which, as we 

 have seen, Rugby commands the cream. Of the 

 North Warwickshire, what is known as the Dun- 

 church country, which runs up in a long narrow strip 

 between the Atherstone and the Warwickshire and 

 borders on the Pytchley, is the best and the best 

 known, and all that has been written of the Warwick- 



