TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION K. 503 



the countiy as a whole is enriched, the workman lives under conditions that 

 make for health of body, of mind, and of morals — such a system as this ought 

 to be encouraged to the utmost. Alas ! our ' enlightened ' economic system has 

 brought all this kind of work to a standstill, and quarrymen are more and 

 more crowded into squalid streets of small, gardenless houses at the bottom 

 of narrow valleys, where they are tempted to spend their money and spare 

 time in cinemas and public-houses. This change is primarily due to the fact 

 that all improvements are penalised by increases of rents and of rates, and the 

 latter are generally heavier proportionately on small holdings than on large 

 farms. This is one of the ways in which we encourage our people to compete 

 with German agriculture ! 



H. T/iln Peats at Lower Al/ltiirhs (2110 to 400 feet).— Of the.se there are 

 numerous very extensive tracts, especially between the Moel Hebog range and The 

 Rivals, where one could walk the greater part of the distance on this kind of 

 soil. The flora is similar to that of the hill peatlands, but a little more varied. 

 Thus, using the numbers 1-10 to indicate the scale of comparative frequency, 

 we have in four typical localities : 



{n) Calluna 9, Molinia 6, Fcstuca ovina 4, J uncus squarrosus 4, Tormentil, &c. 



(b) Festuca ovina 6, Ci/nosiinis 2, Plantaijo lanceolata 1, Scahiosa sitccisa 3, 



Carex pnnicea 4, &c. 



The next two localities were damper : 



(c) Ju.ncus cffusus 6, Naidiis 5, Fesfuca ovina 5, Carex panicea 4, Agrostis 



vulgaris 3, Molinia 3, Juncus squarrosus 4, Sphagnum 2, Yorkshire 

 Fog 2, Tormentil, Scahiosa succisa, Thrinria hirta, &c. 



(d) Anthoxanthum 6, F. ovina 3, Luzula campestris 3, Taraxacum, Lousewort, 



Cotton-grass, Sphagnum, &c. 



The underlying boulder clay in this district is much less stony, but rather 

 more sticky than in the foot-hills. It is of different origin, being the product 

 of Northern glaciation, while the subsoil of the peat of Class I. is local material 

 scraped down by Welsh glaciers. The peat over a large part of this area, 

 notably in Lleyn, is extremely thin. Though there is good slope for drainage, 

 this is rendered difficult by the unevenness of the surface of the boulder clay 

 and the consequent numerous 'pockets,' each requiring separate draining. 

 Certain parts cannot be efficiently dealt with except under a joint scheme, but 

 in most cases it is difficult to get neighbouring landowners to co-operate for the 

 common good. In a portion of the area there are numerous small holdings 

 reclaimed within the last fifty or sixty years, and their flourishing conditioa 

 shows what can be done, even with very ordinary methods. Most of the peaty 

 tracts, however, go with the large farms adjacent to them. The farmers make 

 no attempt to improve them ; they are quit« content with the rough grazing 

 obtained from them in the summer. In one place this tract abuts on the old 

 ' mountain wall,' above which there is a fairly large colony of small holders. 

 Pointing to the peaty waste, we asked an old man, ' Is the land below as 

 hopeless as it looks ? ' ' Oh, no ! ' said he, ' if one could only get some of it 

 out of the clutches of the farmers one could turn it to very good use.' 



It is worthy of note, as showing the importance of ownership and of .security 

 of tenure, that, in a number of cases where tenants have recently bought their 

 farms, they have at once proceeded to drain and cultivate the waste portions 

 of their land. There can be no doubt that much more of this beneficial work 

 would be undertaken were there a .sound scheme for extending financial 

 assistance to farmers who lack the necessary capital. 



III. Deep Peat. — This is of two kinds. The greater part is inland : it ia 

 over boulder clay and is very acid. In certain localities it is cut for fuel. 

 Where this is not done it is generally reserved for grazing. The 'skin,' as 

 the surface layer is called, is thick and tough ; being firmly compacted Molinia, 

 Juncus squarrosus, Nardvs, Festuca ovina, and often Salix herhacea with other 

 plants, it is strong enough to support the cattle grazing upon it. This peat type 

 corresponds to the German ' Hochmoor ' ; from a few analyses it would appear 

 to be very poor in. potash, but moderately supplied with phosphoric acid. 



Although it is well known to most farmers that the addition of minera\ 



