408 
The mnter of ISSb-SG. 
used it two or three winters, with satisfactory results, to his dairy cattle- He 
is decidedly in favour of it, and intends to continue the iTOCtice, though he is 
careful not to have too large a proportion of silage. Used with discretion, he 
regards it as a valuable variation in the food given to dairy cattle in winter 
and spring; it enables him to keep more stock, and he has not found any ill- 
effect from the use of it, either to the cattle themselves or to the cheese and 
butter they yield. He is, however, an uncommonly careful and systematic 
man. 
" 7. The shelter of stone walls and plantations is all that sheep receive, and it 
is considered enough. Lambing-sheds of a permanent character are provided 
on some farms, and are found very useful in the spring. This is a hilly 
country, as I have said, and there is consequently a good deal of 'land 
shelter' on most farms. Some say land shelter is better than any other, and 
cheaper. 
" 9. Drop of 20 per cent., caused about equally by what is mentioned in 
the query, and the worsening of trade. 
" 10. The main factors are wanting to enable the average farmer to avoid 
a wholesale sacrifice of stock — more capital, and more forage for winter. If 
he is short of capital, sell he must to meet his i^ayments. He may help 
himself a little by a supply of silage, and so on ; but as it is, he is being, 
or has been, rapidly drained of his capital, and cannot sustain the struggle 
much longer, unless times mend." 
Mr. W. T. Swift, Toftes Farm, Trentham, Staffordshire : 
" 1. It is bounded on the north-west by Trentham Park, and on the south- 
west by Hanchurch Hills, — a belt of woods a considerable height, and which 
exclude a deal of the afternoon and evening sun. SoU naturally cold, but 
mostly dry, the wet portion having been drained several times, and the subsoil 
being of a stubborn retentive character. The climate is cold and late ; frost 
and snow remaining late. 
" 2. The summer was generally dry and favourable for the harvesting of 
hay and corn crops, hay especially being got at a light expense, but in very 
varied quality. The winter was very long, changeable, and severe, extending 
far on in March, the first half of that month having been exceptionally severe 
and trying to stock — especially ewes and lambs. The spring was cold and 
ungenial." 
Wales. 
Mr. W. A. Darbishire, Nantlle, Carnarvonshire : 
" 1. On the Cambrian rocks ; two-thirds of the farm is mountain pasture 
running up to about 1500 feet above the sea ; the lowland at the bottom of 
the valley is about 600 feet above the sea, and is light laud, chiefly grayelly sub- 
soil, but in some parts deep peat beds ; the valley runs east and west, having 
Snowdon at the east end, and being four miles from the sea at the west end. 
Climate moist and soft, and changeable, many days with rain, but few quite 
without sunshine ; the sun rises above the mountains for only a short time 
in winter, but the summer is hot. Grass docs not begin to grow till the end 
of May, and the winter storms begin in October. It is difficult to save hay 
at all, and it is never of good quality, owing to ' catching' weather. 
" 2. The summer of 1885 was cold and wet ; hay was not made till August. 
Winter began by a severe frost early in December ; it was then soft and wet 
imtil the beginning of March. On March 1st, there was a gale from the east, 
with a dry frost, causing heavy snow-drifts, which did not disappear until the 
middle of April. At the beginning of May vegetation was fourteen days late, 
and little work was done on the land until May. 
