226 TEN YEARS OF GAME-KEEPING 



interests of sport, but in fairness to the beaters. If, 

 however, you care to stipulate with each beater 

 when you engage him, on the basis of no shooting 

 no pay, or so much shooting so much pay, you are 

 at perfect liberty to do so ; but you will not find it 

 an easy job to obtain beaters. 



Beaters who are in regular work on farms often 

 can return to it when shooting is put off or curtailed, 

 but since their farm pay naturally is deducted when 

 they are lent for beating, they should be paid so 

 that they lose nothing. Beyond the broad lines 

 already suggested, one should not be expected 

 to indemnify piece-workers (for instance, copse- 

 workers), who, if it were too wet to shoot, would 

 not be able to follow their usual occupation. 

 Lunch should be ample recompense to men who 

 would lose nothing by going to and returning from 

 the place of meeting, except when they are asked 

 to wait. 



A word on catering for beaters may be useful, 

 especially to those ladies who still have any influence 

 over their cooks. I venture to suggest that some 

 culinary divinities themselves may be grateful 

 inwardly, of course for a hint concerning so 

 plebeian an affair as a beaters' lunch. For every 

 beater, take three-quarters of a pound of raw meat 

 without bone (roasting round or boiling silverside 

 are the most satisfactory joints), a quarter of a 

 pound of cheese, and one-third of a quartern-loaf, 



