II 



CARMARTHEN AND CO-OPERATION 



FROM Abergavenny northwards the beautiful valley of 

 the Usk presented much the same farming character- 

 istics as those which prevailed near Monmouth. There 

 were the same deep red soils, the same predominance 

 of grasslands with about one-tenth of the fields under 

 the plough, and the same light hay crops, which told of 

 the effects of the earlier drought. Here and there on 

 the deeper soils on the lower slopes there would be 

 rather a greater proportion of arable farming ; and we 

 noticed one farm on which all the labourers wore very 

 distinctive red coats, patches of brilliant colour in the 

 general green landscape. From Brecon we still 

 followed the Usk on to gradually poorer lands as the 

 elevation increased until we crossed the low water- 

 shed, and, leaving the Old Red for the Silurian rocks 

 which cover so much of Wales, began the descent down 

 the deep wooded valley that led to the Towy. 



In the Towy Valley itself there is even a higher 

 proportion of grassland than along the Usk. Accord- 

 ing to the Agricultural Returns the average size of the 

 holdings in Carmarthen is only 3 8 acres ; the typical 

 farm, however, is one of 80 to 100 acres, of which 

 only four or five acres will be plough-land, growing a 

 little corn and a few roots for the winter feeding of the 

 stock. In this country a good proportion of the 



