Farming of South Wales. 



125 



1811. North Wales, during the same period, on an area of 

 1,801,720, had given an increase of 118,000. Still the agricul- 

 tural population is very low in proportion to any similar extent 

 of area in England ; this is doubtless to be attributed to the 

 farming of South Wales being chiefly pastoral. In the purely 

 agricultural county of Radnor the population to the acreage is as 

 1 to 10, whereas in the mineral county of Glamorgan the propor- 

 tion is as 1 to 2^ acres. 



Pembroke is divided into 7 hundreds and 145 parishes, and has 6 market 

 towns. It contains about 345,600 statute acres : its population in 1841 

 was 88,262, exhibiting a regularly proportioned increase during the last 

 thirty years. English is the prevalent language in a great part of this 

 county. In trfe reign of Henry I. numerous Flemings settled themselves 

 here ; and it is said, by the Welsh historian, that the King placed among 

 them some English settlers to teach them the English language and cus- 

 toms. The posterity of these settlers remain to this day in the southern 

 parts of the county, where they are plainly distinguishable from the ancient 

 British population by their language, manners, and customs. Owing to 

 the geographical position of Pembroke, its extent of seacoast is double 

 that of its land boundary: the surface is alternate hills and dales. The 

 whole of Castle Martin Hundred, forming the southernmost part of the 

 county, is distinguished for its gentle undulating horizontal surface. 



Cardigan is divided into 5 hundreds and 64 parishes, and has 5 market 

 towns. Its population in 1841 was 68,380 : its area 377,600 statute acres. 



Carmarthen is the largest county in South Wales, and is divided into 

 8 hundreds and 87 parishes, and has 8 market towns. Its population in 

 1841 was 106,482; its area 623,360 statute acres. 



Glamorgan, the great seat of the iron trade, considerably more than 

 doubled its population between the years 1811 and 1841 ; the numbers 

 being in the former year 81,268, and in the latter 173,462. Its area is 

 422,400 statute acres. This county is divided into 10 hundreds and 

 118 parishes, and has 9 market towns. 



Brecknock is divided into 6 hundreds and 61 parishes, and has 4 market 

 towns. Its population in 1841 was 53,295; its area 512,000 statute acres. 

 Considerable attention has for a long period been bestowed on the breed 

 of horses in this county. 



Radnor is divided into 6 hundreds and 52 parishes, and has 4 market 

 towns. Its population in 1841 was 25,186, being an increase of only 3387 

 since 1811 : its area 249,600 statute acres. The surface of the county is 

 throughout hilly. The original Welsh ponies are still bred in the moun- 

 tains. This county contains a greater number of mineral springs than all 

 the others of South Wales conjointly. 



The principal characteristic of the climate of South Wales is 

 its great humidity. As compared with Central England, the cold 

 is not usually so severe, nor the heat so great. The spring is 

 long and backward, and there is an old Welsh adage, " Summer 

 till January, and winter till mid-June." At irregular intervals, 

 but for fully two. T thirds of the year, westerly winds prevail. The 

 changes of the atmosphere are extremely sudden and perplexing. 

 The high mountains of the interior convert the invisible vapours 

 from the x^tlantic into sensible vapour or clouds, whence misty 

 rains frequently descend, and sometimes unexpected heavy 



