The Washington herald., 1914-02-22

in a poor condition financially, and those
who survived the conflict had other
things TO occupy their time, consequently
fox hunting was only INDUCED In as q
means of Riding the country of the
troublesome fox, whose raids upon hen
coops were rather expensive and annoy
ing. But let 1t be said to their everiast-
ing credit, no Virginia gentleman was
ever known TO shoot fox.
For these reasons hounds were care
fully bred, for there was never yet a
fox hunter who would not delve into the
pedigree Of a hound. and there was
never one who would risk breeding from
anything which could not be shown to
have been rightly bred, which accounts
for the high quality of American FOX
hounds, which are still the best for our
sport.
As evidence of their judgment In de-
Gliding upon the quality Of hounds best
suited for their purpose. II Is only neces.
sary to read recent foxhound histor-, OF
the innumerabIe experiments which have
been made with crosses OF the most
fashionably bred foxhounds In England
on our native stock. The result clearly
shows that practically all crosses Win
the English stock has been disearaed
after proving valueless. except by a Few
Americans who have studiously tried TO
nick I'D the English accent, as wen as
the English customs.
As previously stated, the history OF the
American foxhound is clothed IN mys-
tery, but halIowed by the rust OF ume'
In view of the fact that they nave, 10
use a breeders expression, nicked Wen
with onIy hounds of Irish origin. We are
forced to believe that the first American
hounds which were used for fox hunting
came originally from Ireland. rms De
lief is shared by Benjamin IL. Jones' Oh
Liverpool, England. who has hunted All
his life in both Europe and India, and
a,bo 10 the hest Informed man ] have
ever known on everything. pertaining 10
hounds.
Two Irish Hounds Imported.
In 1sl2 Col. Bolton jackson. of Mary
land. imported two hounds from Ireland
Mountain and Muse, by names. IN the
course of time, the blood found ITS way
into the pack of black and tan MOUNDS
owned by Br. Beverley Tucker land oth-
srs of the tucker family in virginia..
and from them descended the best fox
hounds on the American continent. Inc
names of the Tucker hounds bear silent
testimony to their origin; Rather, Bullet
Trailer, Byron, Ringwood, Sweetips, Sc.'
were inherited from their INDUSTRIOUS an
cestors, the hounds perfected by Gen
Washington.
some twenty years ago, the National
Fox Hunters Association or America
was formed, with Admiral James T.
Jouett as its first president, which gave
the sport a fresh start. A fcxhouno STUD
book had previously been opened. which
was placed In the hands OF Gen. Roger
ID. williams, of Kentucky. Fox hunt
clubs are constantly being formed
throughout the country and useful packs
are being gotten together, which, In con-
formation and general characteristics
rigidly conform to the high standard sci
by the founders. While the great breed
ers seem to be getting away from the old
type of native hound, we are pleased to
note that there has been no change In
the blood lines, and the breeders are
proud to produce pedigrees OF native
hounds running back in unbroken lines
for more than a century, which is, to say
the least. remarkable in view OF the fire.
quent serious internal eruptions" which
we have had since and during Gen.
washingtons time. For this the per
petuators of the native American fox
hound deserve unbounded praise.
They have done for our foxhounds in
this country what Summerville, Beck
ford, Meynell. Lord Lincoln, the Duke OF
Beaufort, Lord Vernon, Lord CRANKY, the
Earl of Marlborough, Lord Ludlow, Sir
Roland Winns, Sir Walter Vavasour
Lard Marlborough, and other dignitaries
of the glorious past have done for the
English foxhound. To these gentlemen
we are willing to accord every honor fol
what they have done for their hounds
and horses, but We are not willing. IN
view of the mass of evidence presented
| to give them the credit for having intro
duced fox hunting or foxhounds into this
country.