76 
The Agriculture of Pembrokeshire. 
that much of this butter is worked up, and sold in the larger 
towns as fresh. 
In the cooler months butter is brought to town in rolls 
or pats, and although these are called pounds, the weight 
varies from 16 to 18 ounces, according to the modification of an 
old custom adopted by each dairvwoman. A very common 
practice formerly was to place an old-fashioned penny-piece in 
the scale with the pound-weight. The price of fresh butter 
varies considerably, both in locality and season : for instance, 
the price in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock is usually Id. 
or '2d. more per lb. retail, than in Haverfordwest or Fishguard. 
The quantity of butter made per cow, when grass is plentiful, 
averages about 6 lbs. per week. Approximately there are 
some six million pounds, or over 2678 tons a year made in 
the county : probably this estimate is too low. The cheese 
as made generally throughout the county is, when compared 
to Cheddar, 6cc., of second-rate quality. It is, as a rule, 
deficient in fat, being made from skim-milk, and gets hard, 
instead of mellowing, if kept. It is, however, largely consumed 
in the country districts, and the retail price, being generally Ad. 
to hd. per lb., favours its sale. 
The skim-milk is also used for rearing calves, and for pigs 
until late in the summer ; when the calves are all turned out, 
cheese is made. 
Cattle. — The breed of cows preponderating is the Black, or 
some cross with it. Herefords, and more especially Short- 
horns have been tried ; but at the present time the balance of 
opinion seems to favour the Black, as being most suited to the 
requirements of the county. In 1874, the sound prescience of 
Mr. J. B. Bowen, of Llwyngwair, late M.P. for the county, in 
conjunction with the late Mr. Harvev, of Haverfordwest, ori- 
ginated the ' South Wales Black Cattle Herd Book.' Since that 
time very rapid improvement has taken place, until now the 
qualities and advantages of the breed, for this county, are recog- 
nised by the largest landowners. Earl Cawdor, at Stack p«le 
Court, gave up one of the finest herds of Shorthorns to adopt the 
Black, and at the present time has probably the best herd of 
Black Cattle in the kingdom. 
There are many in the county still who favour other breeds; 
but to turn natural selection topsy-turvy requires probably more 
knowledge than man at present possesses. Milking cows are 
generally out during the day all the year round, housing being 
only practised in very bad weather, and during the night in 
the winter months. They get the best of the grass, hay, and 
straw, with bran, crushed oats, mangolds. Sic, and more recently 
