WELSH BARLEY 329 



Welsh," a stock somewhat mixed, but consisting 

 mainly of a type resembling Archer in appearance, 

 though early where that variety is late. Under various 

 names similar strains have been found in all parts of 

 the United Kingdom ; they probably represent the 

 " rathe ripe " barley of the early writers ; but though 

 some attempts have been made to select pure lines 

 from these varying aggregates, they have not met with 

 success as yet. Probably where the conditions are 

 not very favourable and uniformity of quality in the 

 produce is not a matter of importance, a rather in- 

 definite mixture of this kind may answer better than a 

 single strain, just as dredge corn may yield more than 

 either oats or barley separately, especially in a season 

 adverse to one or other of the constituent crops. 



We saw some very good breadths of turnips, the 

 best we had come across in our tour. Half the area 

 of turnips received farmyard manure, and there the 

 turnips were drawn off; the other half were farmed 

 with artificials, and there the roots were consumed on 

 the land, thus leaving matters pretty level for the 

 succeeding barley. Mangolds and potatoes were also 

 grown, the latter good even for the good season and 

 promising to be a very profitable crop, for they 

 generally find an excellent market in Aberystwith, 

 with its large resident population. 



Our host kept a very good class of Welsh cattle of 

 the true North Welsh strain, all black except for a 

 touch or two of white below. A few herds are to be 

 found in North Wales sheeted with white round the 

 body like some of the Holsteins, but this is a fancy 

 point for which no working justification can be found. 

 The North Welsh cattle can be in some respects dis- 

 tinguished from the South Welsh or Castle Martin 

 breed, and are reputed to be more rapid feeders and 



