1803. j^gncultura! LitelUgeu-cc — England. II5 



parenlly In a very tottering flate. Between Briftol and the new pafTagc 

 over the Severn, 1 crofled a common of tine land, carrying a green paf- 

 ture, and totally free of ant hills, which cover all the common zmd 

 wafle land in the South of England. From the new paflTage to New- 

 port and Cardiff, the face of the country is much the fame as on the 

 Glt)uceltcr fide of the river, riling into gentle little hills, which are en- 

 clofed and cultivated to the tops. Harveil was then only beginning, 

 and none was carried. A great many fields were more than fully ripe, 

 and feemed to remain uncut for want of hands. Much hay was alfo 

 flanding in the cock ; and fome of the fait marfhes below Cardiff v/ere 

 uncut. All the reapers in this diltrid (Wales) are men, and their 

 wages are two (hillings per day, with vidiial'?. They work two and 

 two on a narrow ridge, clofe at one another's heek, and lay down the 

 corn in handfuls, which is taken up by women and boys, who bind it 

 in fmall iheaves. Barley is ufually cut with the fcythe, cocked in like 

 manner as hay, and built in long ftacks. 



* The farmers are, at this time (Od:ober 2ifl), bufy in fowing their 

 wheats, which is a bulinefs that occupies a confiderable part of their at- 

 tention. On fallow ground, it is put in under furrow, on two-bout 

 ridges ; and afterwards gone over with hand-hoes, inftead of receiving 

 the harrow. On clover leas, they call up every furrow with a fiiovel, 

 on the fides of the narrow ridge, after harrowing 5 and the ploughing, 

 though very fliallow, is given with fix or eight oxen. Our friend has, 

 for feveral years, ploughed with two horfes ; but few of the neighbours 

 have followed his example. 



* The whole country, from the pafiage to Swanfea, is incumbent on 

 limeftone ; and there is abundance of coal in the hills. Few farmers 

 are therefore without lime-kilns for their own ufe. Much of the arti- 

 cle is ufed in compoll middings, generally formed from the head lands 

 and banks of ditclies, which is applied to the fallows and clovers iov 

 wheat. Not many oats are fown ; and thefe are generally of the black 

 variety. Only a few fmall fields of turnips are to be feen, and fome of 

 them are not hoed. The iron-works in Monmouth and Glamorgan- 

 ihirea render labourers very fcarce. The great profits made by the pro- 

 prietors of thefe works during the war, has occafioned them lately to 

 be confiderably extended ; and, though the price is Icfs, more iron is 

 made than ever. About Morthey, 400 tons of bar-Iron, of different 

 fjzes, is manufa£lured per week. It is brought by the canal to Cardiff, 

 in barges of 20 tons, drawn by one horfe. ' 



Letter from a Farmer In JValesy January nth, 



* We have experienced a rem.rkable mild Winter, which might have 

 led us to expctt a full-grown braird of wheat. But the contrary has 

 happened ; for 1 never faw the young plants look weaker in this coun- 

 try than in the prefent feafon ; and 1 attribute this chiefly to the fmall- 

 nefs of the feed produced from laft year's crop, occafioned by the coki- 

 nefs of the Summer months, and the im.meafe bulk of llraw ; circum- 

 ^ances that render grain always defedivc. Indeed, our grain, I mean 



the 



