46 



(b) The want of proper cottages on the larger farms in the 

 country districts. " Hundreds have been allowed to tumble 

 down in this and adjoining counties, the result being the 

 removal of the people to the villages and towns, where they lose 

 their interest in country life." 



(c) The consolidation of small farms. ' The buildings on 

 most of these combined farms have fallen down, with the ex- 

 ception of one homestead, whereas many years ago they were 

 all inhabited and families were brought up, most of whom were 

 engaged as servants and labourers in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of their homes." 



(d) The prosperous condition of the mining districts, the 

 better wages, and the shorter hours of work. 



CARDIGAN. Mr. Jones assigns the following reasons for the 

 decline : 



(1) The unprofitableness of farming is causing many farmers 

 and farmers' sons to seek some other occupation. 



(2) Landlords have a tendency to group their farms to save 

 the cost of erecting new buildings. 



(3) Every farmer endeavours to obtain modern machinery 

 for cultivating and harvesting, and in other ways to curtail the 

 labour bill as much as possible. 



(4) Many labourers are attracted to the coal mines which are 

 within 50 to 60 miles; there they receive better wages than 

 the agriculturist can afford to pay, and at the same time have 

 more leisure. Educational facilities have encouraged this in- 

 clination for work in the towns. 



Mr. Edwards, also, attributes the decline to the high wages 

 and greater freedom of the industrial centres of South Wales, 

 which are within easy distance of the county. 



CARMARTHEN. The low price of agricultural produce, the 

 increase of grazing, and especially sheep farming, have 

 lessened the demand for labour. The high rate of wages in 

 adjacent industrial districts with the shorter hours and greater 

 means of amusement have attracted some of the best of the 

 rural population. The system of education is thought to be 

 at fault. On this point Mr. Eees writes : " How rare are the 

 schools in which nature study has been patiently and regularly 

 taught to children. But I am glad to say that there are signs 

 of improvement in this direction. Thus, hitherto no taste for 

 the natural open-air life of the farm has been impressed on the 

 plastic mind of the child. The boys prefer to take up teaching 

 work at the school or to become shop assistants, railway clerks, 

 or porters, &c. The girls will become milliners, post-office 

 clerks, dressmakers, anything almost in preference to domestic 

 service," 



