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30 and generally to discourage their use, on the ground that the farmer will be deprived of part of his income owing to the diminution of the demand for forage, by which hunting will be prejudiced. It is notable that similar arguments were used in the years 1838 to 1845 during the construction of the early railways; and yet the horse is with us still. It would be rash to say that the farmer will lose by the introduction of these new vehicles, but if he loses in the amount of corn or hay sold for a few covert hacks or carriage horses, he may gain by the fact that many more people will hunt if they have facilities for



attending distant meets, and that the farm produce itself will probably be conveyed at a much cheaper rate than is possible now either by horse-haulage or rail. There are notable Masters in the Shires who already employ motor-cars to take them to their more distant meets, and as I write I have the names of several gentlemen in my head who would be recognised throughout the hunting world to be as good sportsmen and as straight riders as any in England. The use of a motor for every kind of social appointment is bound to increase, and I am afraid some of the Midland farmers are