mselves rather "out of it," if they
are not personally acquainted with anyone in the room, and wisely avoid
such dreary functions. It is recorded of Mr. Conyers that he once
presented every farmer's wife in his hunting district with a silk dress,
saying that the ladies must be propitiated if hunting is to flourish.

[Illustration: Fig. 139.--Iron hurdle.]

One of the reasons why hunting is unpopular among farmers is the selfish
and reckless manner in which many followers of a hunt ride over arable
land; the greatest sinners in this respect being those who reside in
towns, and who, knowing nothing about agriculture, err more from
ignorance than indifference. Unless vegetation stares them in the face,
they evidently think there is no harm in riding over ploughed land, no
matter how distinctly the smoothly-harrowed surface and carefully
prepared drains indicate the presence of seed underneath. In such a
case, our best plan would be to skirt along, as near as possible, the
hedge or other boundary, even if we have to go a little out of our way.
Riding over cultivated "heavy" (clay) land, especially if its surface is
wet, is particularly hurtful to the crop, because each imprint of a
horse's foot will form a small pool of water, which will rot the seed
inside it. In "light" (sandy) land, the water in such holes will
quickly drain off, and little or no injury will be done. While hoping
that young horsewomen will not allow their enthusiasm for hunting to
outweigh their sense of prudence when steering their horses over
farmers' land, I would entreat them to also "hold hard" when approaching
allotment ground, for this land is rented, as a rule, by the poorest of
the poor, who have no gardens in which to grow vegetables, etc., for
their use, and a small field of, say, a few acres may be cultivated by
several villagers and their children in their "spare time of evenings."
Each tenant has his own patch of allotment land on which he grows what
he requires for his use. In winter we may frequently see the entire
field under wheat cultivation, as many poor families grow their own
grain, which the local miller grinds into flour, and in this way they
save the baker's bill, as they make their own bread. To ride over and
destroy their small crops is a sin which I am sure no lady would
knowingly commit, and, therefore, it behoves us all to exercise due
circumspection when we find ourselves on arable land.

[Illustration: Fig. 140.--Wire on