Farming of South Wales. 



137 



of swedes are raised, frequently weighing from 15 to 30 tons per 

 acre. Turnips are not often consumed on the land, and spring 

 wheat, succeeded by barley, generally follows. As the frost is 

 seldom so severe as to injure turnips, the bulbs frequently show a 

 gradual increase throughout the entire winter ; early clamping is 

 never practised. 



Potatoes were formerly very successfully cultivated ; since the 

 appearance of the disease the extent sown has been reduced, 

 while that of turnips has been proportionably increased. Large 

 quantities of manure are applied, and in some cases paring and 

 burning is used as a preparation for the crop. Formerly the 

 planting of this root did not take place till after the barley was 

 sown, but since the appearance of the disease early planting has 

 become universal, and March is generally the month for 

 setting the potato. Last year the disease attacked the crop with 

 greater virulence than has been known, with the exception of the 

 season when it first made its appearance. 



Beans are seldom grown but in certain localities, as Laug- 

 harne and the stiff lias clays of Glamorgan. Peas and rye are 

 not so much cultivated as formerly. Flax has been more noticed 

 within the last few years. It generally nourishes well, and in 

 some parts it springs spontaneously. The seed would be of great 

 value in this stock-rearing country, as linseed gruel is particu- 

 larly nourishing to calves. 



In returning land to permanent grass, it was common in old 

 times to sow no seeds, and this was practised in many parts 

 when Mr. Davies wrote his report in 1814, and it. is probable 

 that our finest old pastures were thus laid down. The farmer of 

 the Eastern and Midland counties of England would be surprised 

 to see how rapidly the good and even middling soils of South 

 Wales return to their natural grass. Mr. Llassell, in his original 

 report, says, " that, in Laugharne, barley stubble, without seeds, 

 will recover its sward and produce good crops of hay and grass;" 

 and that throughout Carmarthen " land not run out of condition 

 will naturally become good pasture." And he says of Pembroke, 

 " The mildness of the climate and the perpetual vegetation that 

 is going on, even in the winter months, seem in so peculiar a 

 manner favourable to grass, that we cannot but lament to see so 

 much under the plough." In Radnorshire " the arable land, if 

 left unploughed, is soon covered with natural grass and on the 

 limestone near Merthyr Tydvil, " if barley is sown one year and 

 the land left to rest till next year, the white clover abounds so 

 much that it may be profitably mown." So much for the spon- 

 taneous production of grasses at the conclusion of the last 

 century ; it points out most forcibly that South Wales is naturally 

 a rich pastoral district. Still the proportion of good grazing 



