208 MY LIFE 



it to be perfectly free from moisture, if you venture to kneel or lie 

 down upon it you will almost instantly be wetted to the skin. 



The plants which compose these barren slopes are a few grasses, 

 among which are the sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) 

 and the crested hair grass (Kwleria cristata), several Cyperaceaa — 

 species of carex or sedge which form a large proportion, and the 

 feathery cotton grass (Eriophorum vaginatum) . The toad-rush (Jun- 

 cus bufonius) is frequently very plentiful, and many other plants of 

 the same kind. Several rare or interesting British plants are here 

 found often in great profusion. The Lancashire asphodel (Narthe- 

 cium ossifragum) often covers acres with its delicate yellow and red 

 blossoms. The spotted orchis (O. maculata) is almost universally 

 present. The butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris) is also found here, and 

 the beautiful little pimpernel (Anagallis tenella). The louseworts 

 (Pendicularis sylvatica and P. palustris), the melancholy thistle (Cin- 

 cus heterophyllus) , and the beautiful blue milkwort (Poly gala vul- 

 garis), and many others, are generally exceedingly plentiful, and 

 afford much gratification to the botanist and lover of nature. 



The number of sheep kept on these farms is about one to each 

 acre of mountain, where they live the greater part of the year, being 

 only brought down to the pastures in the winter, and again turned on 

 the mountain with their lambs in the spring. One hundred acres of 

 pasture and " short-hay meadow " will support from thirty to forty 

 cattle, ten or a dozen calves and oxen being sold each year. 



The farmers are almost invariably yearly tenants, consequently 

 little improvement is made even in parts which could be much bettered 

 by draining. The landlord likes to buy more land with his spare 

 capital (if he has any) rather than improve these miserable farms, 

 and the tenant is too poor to lay out money, or if he has it will not 

 risk his being obliged to leave the farm or pay higher rent in return 

 for his permanently improving another person's land. 



The hedges and gates are seldom in sufficiently good repair to keep 

 out cattle, and can hardly be made to keep out mountain sheep, who 

 set them completely at defiance, nothing less than a six-foot stone 

 wall, and not always that, serving to confine them. The farmer con- 

 sequently spends a good deal of his time in driving them out of his 

 young clover (when he has any) or his wheat. He is also constantly 

 engaged in disputes, and not infrequently litigation, with his neigh- 

 bours, on account of the mutual trespasses of their stock. 



The Welshman is by no means sharp-sighted when his cattle are 

 enjoying themselves in a neighbour's field, especially when the master 

 is from home, otherwise the fear of the " pound " will make him with- 

 draw them after a short time. 



On almost every farm water is very plentiful, often far too much 

 so, and it is sometimes run over a meadow, but in such a manner as 



