WALES AND THE ISLANDS. 279 



portant harbours, as Brest and Lorient, Nantes and St 

 Malo, which have hitherto been wanting to Wales ; * its 

 population is proportionately twice as numerous, and its 

 agricultural development greater, at least as regards 

 three-fourths of the country. In this respect, then, the 

 comparison is in our favour, the cause being found in 

 the difference of ruggedness between the two soils. Brit- 

 tany owes also part of this superiority to a crop which 

 I am astonished not to see more prevalent in England 

 that of buckwheat. These five departments alone pro- 

 duce about a million and a-half quarters of this grain, 

 as well as an equal quantity of wheat, and it is much 

 used there for human consumption. This is the case 

 also in many parts of Europe, especially in Holland. 



Although it is said, and perhaps with reason, that 

 buckwheat, when made the chief article of alimentation, 

 has a bad effect upon the brain, it is a valuable addi- 

 tional resource both for men and cattle ; and it is one of 

 those crops which succeed best upon granitic and light 

 and poor soils, provided the summers be wet, and the 

 autumns without frost. Everything indicates that the 

 soil and climate of a great part of England and Wales 

 should be very favourable to this plant ; it is, never- 

 theless, scarcely ever cultivated, except for pheasants, 

 which are very fond of it, and sometimes as a manuring 

 crop to be ploughed into the land, for it is one of the 

 best green manures known. Several English agricultural 

 authorities have recommended its more extensive use 

 among others, Eham, in his excellent Farm Dictionary 

 but with little effect hitherto. We shall some day 

 hear of its brilliant success from the other side of the 



* Milford Haven, which is likely to be an important harbour, is only begin- 

 ning to be resorted to. 



