The Agriculture of Pembrokeshire. k 97 
except that the soil could in many instances be ploughed deeper 
with advantage. If corn likes a shallow ploughing imme- 
diately before being sown, it does not follow that a shallow 
soil is also the best. The first would simply mean that it 
was best for the soil to have settled sufficiently for the roots to 
get a firm hold ; but the second — if correct — would mean that 
corn does not root deeply, which — as is well known — is wrong. 
Corn will root to a great depth if the soil is suitable, as will 
also clovers and many grasses. 
The farmer could very advantageously plough to an increased 
depth in the winter before the root crop was grown. There is 
very little soil in the county that would not benefit by being 
ploughed deeper, and as some of the soils are very apt to 
pan," there is all the more reason for an occasional disturbance. 
It is very generally understood that phosphoric acid is required 
by, and that it stimulates, a root crop ; also, that nitrogenous 
manures stimulate a corn crop ; but it is not so well known 
that potash, though it does not stimulate, is equally important 
to all crops. The knowledge required is usually how to make 
a suitable mixture of artificial manures for the crop in hand. 
A source from which considerable supplies of potash could 
often be obtained is almost entirely neglected ; this is the 
trimmings of banks, hedges, &c. These are sometimes burnt, 
but as a heavy shower of rain On the ashes leaves very little 
undissolved, the idea is that the pshes contain little. Were 
these odds and ends collected and burnt, the ashes carefully 
collected and used as if bought at a high price, the results 
would be convincing. 
Change of seed is much practised, and its advantages are 
recognised, but the necessity of obtaining good and clean 
seed — free from weeds — is not sufficiently attended to. I fear 
that I have been rather discursive in reviewing my subject, and 
therefore will now proceed to the final section. 
Improvements required. — Those who are fond of styling them- 
selves reformers would often be more correctly named revo- 
lutionists, their idea of reform being to replace the existing by 
some other system. Whether this root and branch style of 
reform is suited to anything else, it is unnecessary to inquire ; 
it is sufficient for my purpose to know that it is not suited to 
agriculture. Natural conditions have probably more to do with 
the origin of the varying systems and customs of different 
localities than anything else ; and the farmer shows his aptitude 
for his business, when he modifies his ideas to suit these con- 
ditions. I have therefore no patent " bag and baggage " policy 
to suggest, but simply one or two little things that can be grafted 
on the present system without much trouble. 
VOL. xxiii. — s. s. n 
