2 28 Tally ho, 



Pole for its raised pies ; and do not tlie firms of Colin 

 and Co., Evans and Hill, and Tebbut and Co. despatch 

 thousands of these delicacies every day to all parts of 

 the world by the morning passenger train ? At any 

 rate I am aware of the fact;, by the delay which it 

 occasioned when I was anxiously hoping to catch 

 another at the junction at Leicester; a fallacious hope, 

 I need hardly remark. Having obtained permission 

 from Mr. Joseph Dickinson to visit his establishment, 

 I had the opportunity of witnessing the career of a 

 pie from the cradle to the grave ; for I saw it, after 

 being most carefully and delicately made, placed in 

 the oven, and subsequently ate it, which enables me 

 to speak upon the subject in a practical manner. The 

 distinguishing features in this manufacture are mar- 

 vellous cleanliness, and the purity of the articles used; 

 everything being done where possible by machinery, 

 so as to prevent the pies being touched by hand except 

 when absolutely necessary. Much business, I was 

 informed, is done with Paris, and even with the 

 Colonies, whence they are despatched in air-tight 

 cases. Melton is also the centre of the district from 

 which we obtain our Stilton cheeses — a large trade 

 being carried on, especially at this festive season. 



So much for the commerce of this prosperous town. 

 Now let us return to its more prominent feature; and, 

 as it is ^^ Mercat Day,^' when I never miss an oppor- 

 tunity of meeting the stalwart farmers of Leicester- 

 shire and Rutlandshire at dinner at the George, there 

 is time to examine some of the studs before the dinner 

 hour. First let us look at the string of excellent 

 hunters, the property of Mr. Gordon Bennett, of New 

 York, who, having exhausted the Continent of America, 



