126 



Farming of South Wales. 



showers ; still the inhabitants can foretell that rain is close at 

 hand, when there appears every prospect of a fine day. They 

 principally ground their observations on the noise of the sea, the 

 roar of a waterfall, the sound of bells, shape of mists and clouds 

 resting on the mountains. During the summer and early autumn 

 heavy dews are of frequent occurrence, and warm close mists will 

 last for several days: these sometimes considerably impede hay 

 and corn harvests, and consequently the saving of grain in good 

 condition cannot be calculated upon with the same certainty as in 

 England. On the other hand South Wales is, above all others, 

 the country for grass and green crops, as the moisture and dews 

 of summer, and the gentle variation of heat, must exert most 

 beneficial influence on all such vegetation, especially the young 

 turnips. All along the coast, and indeed far inland, the gales 

 from the west are particularly severe, and frequently do much 

 damage to the growing crops. Of course the temperature varies 

 with the aspect and altitude of the district. In the alpine tracts, 

 the Rev. Walter Davies observes, u ram in lower places is here 

 sleet; sleet, snow; and storms, tempests." Meteorological ob- 

 servations prove that the depth of rain is not so much as in 

 some counties of England, therefore the humidity of the climate 

 arises from constant mists rather than heavy rains. The common 

 opinion of the hazy weather prevailing in South Wales has been 

 thus expressed : — 



" Winter, mists will fall in snow ; 

 In spring the winds will coldly blow. 

 Summer fogs foretel much heat ; 

 Autumn mists will rain repeat." 



As might be supposed by merely glancing at the geographical 

 situations of some districts, there are great varieties of climate. 

 Thus the temperature and humidity of the Vales of the Teify and 

 the Towy are quite different from those of the Wye and the Usk. 

 The former open their mouths at the south-west to receive the 

 accumulated mists of the Atlantic, while the lofty mountains 

 arrest the vapours before they reach the latter, which, being open 

 to the east, have a climate similar to, and as cold as, that of the 

 Midland Counties of England. Again, while Pembroke and 

 Cardigan are prominently exposed to the violence of the westerly 

 gales, Glamorgan is partly surrounded by rising ground, and pro- 

 tected in some degree, even to the south, by the counties of 

 Somerset and Devon. 



The north-western portion of South Wales rests upon the clay- 

 slate formation, or as they are geologically termed, the upper and 

 lower Silurian deposits. These formations commence at the north 

 portion of St. Bride's Bay, running nearly in a horizontal line by 

 Haverfordwest and Narberth to Laugharne. They proceed by a 



