The most serious loss of prestige to the hunt comes
from the defection of the farmers. Partly owing to depression in the industry, partly to change in the race of farmer, the number who hate to see horses galloping over their wheat, or jumping through their hedges, grows steadily. Farmers are less stable than they used to be. They shift from place to place more often, or at any rate continue in the business for a shorter period. There is therefore less and less of close personal acquaintanceship than there used to be. As for the hunting parson, once famous both in prose and verse, he is very nearly extinct. His tribe has changed its habits much more completely than the farmers'. g' The Rectory Spinneys" are likely to be drawn blank, and no huntsmen will again think of sending down to the Rectory for the Rector's terrier.
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