THE HARROW COUNTRY 143 



the same sort of euthanasia, the iiovehst luust have recourse 

 to an oubhette in the heath or to a Buckinghamshire wattle. 

 I do not know the beginnings of our ending as regards 

 the Harrow country. Nominally, of course, the country is 

 still by way of being hunted over by the Queen's Hounds. 

 Even in my time the Middlesex farmers still received and 

 expected paddock tickets for Ascot races. But for many 

 years past there has existed an uncomfortable sort of judicial 

 separation tantamount to a divorce. Possibly at some time or 

 other there may have been some little unintentional neglect 

 of the diplomacy of hunting, upon which we hunting folk must 

 learn to rely in these days quite as much as upon the science 

 of our huntsmen or the good gifts of an open season. Possibly 

 the reduction in the £ s. d. allowances to the Master of the 

 Buckhounds during Lord Bessborough's Mastership, and the 

 consequent reduction in the number of hunting days from 

 three to two, may have had something to do with it. 

 But be all that as it may, it is certain the conditions 

 of this part of Middlesex can never have been favour- 

 able to the stability of hunting. Graced conspicuously 

 with all the most attractive features of a hunting country, 

 the corresponding mind and disposition have always been 

 lacking. There are not, and never have been, any large 

 estates with resident owners to help hunting. Much of the 

 land is owned by non-residents, and occupied by tenants 

 with no direct or personal interest in it. Nearness to a 

 great city gives every acre an accommodation value. Much of 

 the pasture is let for summer grazing to cattle-dealers. Hay 

 for the insatiable London market is the staple and most 

 remunerative industry. Lord Cork told me that when first 

 he hunted in the Harrow country he was struck by the 

 manure which had almost expropriated stock. In the 

 better times rents were run up to a very high figure. 

 Even in these days they have kept up. To pay them the 



