84 
The Agriculture of Pembrokeshire. 
The roller is the next implement, and the heavy iron ones 
have almost banished the old wooden rollers, except in the more 
secluded parts. The fluted roller or clod-crusher appears to 
find considerable favour. Cultivators, scarifiers, and other 
implements are used where circumstances permit, but the bulk 
of the tillage is done by those above mentioned. The plough- 
ing is not usually more than from four to six inches deep, though 
probably most farmers on the limestone formation plough deeper 
if the rock allows it. In breaking up ley, or in ploughing 
land where couch is plentiful, it is usual now to fix a skim- 
coulter to the plough, as this cuts a thin layer of the roots which 
get buried much more completely, and in consequence have 
less chance of growing. Where shallow ploughing is practised 
and heavy harrows are afterwards used in an unsystematic way, 
couch and roots, that would have rotted if left buried, are 
dragged to the surface again, and the land is really kept in a 
foul state by ill-directed zeal. 
Rotations. — The rotation of crops varies much ; for instance, 
on the trap soils the usual course will be two or three years ley, 
oats, roots or rape, barley and seeds, or it is varied by taking a 
second white crop before the roots, thus : oats, barley, roots or 
rape, barley and seeds. In the south, again, after ley for, say, 
three years, there will be oats, roots, oats, barley and seeds : or 
three years ley, oats, roots, wheat, roots, barley and seeds ; and 
this is varied by inserting a barley crop between the wheat and 
second root crop. 
It is the custom generally to apply the bulk of the manure to 
the root-crop, and not manure again unless two white crops are 
taken in succession after the roots. The manures used are 
usually farmyard-dung and dissolved bones or superphosphate, 
the artificial manures being added to the dung to stimulate the 
early growth, and thus avoid the fly. 
Oats. — As to the crops grown, oats occupy the most land, and 
it is the crop now usually sown when ley is broken up. The sorts 
grown are generally either the common black oat or Tartarians, 
and very frequently the two are mixed. The first produces 
more valuable straw for feeding purposes, otherwise perhaps the 
Tartarians, yielding most corn, would have superseded it. The 
quantity of seed sown will be from 4 to 5 bushels per acre if 
broadcast, and something less if drilled. This has been the 
most satisfactory crop during recent years, as it does well in all 
parts of the county, and the price of the grain has not depre- 
ciated in value so much as wheat and barley. The yield per 
acre varies much, though 40 to 60 bushels of grcain, weighing 
39 lbs. per bushel, is a fair average. The crop is cut with a 
scythe, carrying a light wooden framework called a "cradle," 
