RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC. 23 



with the colours or who have learned manly self-control 

 at the great schools. 



Let us take the case of a shepherd or his master, 

 the sheep farmer, who may have the grazing on a moor 

 on which the keeper is in charge of the game. Enmity 

 or tactlessness can only result in more damage to the 

 latter's interests than to the former's. A resentful shep- 

 herd has a tantalising habit of destroying nests and of 

 making friends with poachers, and, by a curious coin- 

 cidence, it may somehow happen that he collects his 

 sheep on the very days when we wish the hill to be kept 

 quiet. During the breeding and nesting season his dog 

 has a habit of ranging the moor, with the result that 

 many eggs are destroyed, many young birds perish, 

 and the moor is generally disturbed. Heather is badly 

 burned, oftentimes butts and springs are tampered with. 

 All of which unsatisfactory state of affairs might have 

 been different if a little tact had been used, and a friend 

 made of the shepherd, and this friendship shown in 

 many little acts of consideration, as helping an occa- 

 sional sheep or lamb in distress, or giving information 

 to the shepherd as to their possible danger, or as 

 to the whereabouts of a sheep that has gone astray. 

 The occasional present of rabbits given, of course, 

 with the consent of the master is also to be 

 recommended. 



A great number of farmers are not easy to satisfy, 

 and many have been spoiled by rich shooting tenants 

 meeting them more than half-way. Farmers should be 



