412 
The Winter of 1885-86. 
Mr. W. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa Castle, Merthyr Tydfil, Gla- 
morganshire : 
"1. Partly iu Glamorganshire and partly in Breconshire; that part in Gla- 
morganshire being partly light clayey soil on coal-measnres, and partly medium 
soil on limestone. Breconshire, medium soil, partlj'- limestone and partly Old 
Red Sandstone. High-lying district subject to strong winds, continuous rains, 
and long winters. Few summer months' warm growing weather. 
" 2. Dry summer, but good for grain ; green crops rather light. Very wet 
autumn. Very cold wet winter, with hard frosts and long continuance of 
X.E. wind and snow. The wet cold spring was very much against getting in 
root crops, causing them all to be very late. 
" 3. Green crops were rather light. 
" 4. Had a fair sup[ily of roots, abundance of hay, and moderate supply of 
old grass for sheep. 
" 5. Long winter having killed cabbages, had to depend on mangolds for 
early spring, together with cake and corn. 
" 6. No. 
" 7. Very fair natural shelter on Glamorganshire side, none at all on 
Breconshire side. Had to provide shelter for them. Further shelter is 
required. 
" 9. Large quantity of stock on farmers' hands, and shortness of keep 
forced them to send stock to the market. They were glad to get anything 
for them. 
" 10. It is necessary to prepare beforehand, as far as possible, a good supply 
of fodder, and to give stock all the shelter and attention possible."' 
Scotland. 
Although the enquiry was really restricted to England and 
Wales, I received a very interesting series of replies from Lord 
Arthur Cecil, who is farming, in company with his brother, at 
Orchardmains, Innerleithen, Peebleshire. Here the soil is light 
and stony in the higher parts, cold clay in the lower, gradually 
getting into a somewhat poor gravelly loam nearer the streams. 
The climate is very cold, and subject to heavy blasts. The noble 
Lord's experience of the past season was as follows : — 
" 2. Summer dry ; grass considerably burnt. Roo crops bad at first, 
improved wonderfully in late autumn. From the New Year till the middle of 
April, almost continual snow on high groimds, with occasional violent blasts. 
" Roots were above the average on the higher fields, but very bad on the 
heavier soils. Swedes were a complete failure. Ewes were fed on turnips 
for three hours every day, except when snow was too thick, when they had 
hay. The stored turnips lasted till the beginning of May, after which time 
there was a month of great starvation. Silage has not been used. The only 
shelter is provided by what are locally called "stells," which are of great 
value. These were put up in consequence of the great storms in January 
1881, since which time six new ones have been built, and the old ones repaired 
and restored. These are walls built of dry stone, and are either round or 
shaped like a cross. 
The lesson of the past season is told by his Lordship as 
follows : — 
" 10. Always have plenty of sweet hay (the only wholesome food for hill 
