in Lancashire, Cheshire, and North Wales. 
491 
We saw a draft of these sheep at our winter inspection ; they 
pay a very good price per week, about \0d. Mr. Owen keeps 
one sow for breeding, sells part produce. The artificial manure 
used is 2 tons. It is possible that Mr. Owen is right in using a 
limited quantity here. The effect of artificials on some of these 
burning soils would only be to hasten the disaster. The fences 
on this farm, which is principally pasture, are excellent, being 
all planned for shelter ; they are formed of old sod banks, with 
hedge on the top. The labour is supplied thus : one hired 
man, paid 9s. per week and food in the house. One of Mr. 
Owen's sons is paid 201. a year. Two others (boys) receive 81. 
each. These young men are treated in this respect the same as 
strangers, receiving a distinct hire, and are thus taught to begin 
at once and save money and depend upon themselves. The 
harvest wages are high, being 22s. per week, with rations, which 
is a curiosity I give in detail. The men work long hours, be- 
ginning at 6 A.M. and finishing at 7 P.M., with one hour's rest. 
However, they are tolerably well sustained, especially when con- 
trasted with our Scotch porridge for two meals, and 16 ounces of 
bread and 1 quart of beer for dinner. The Welsh harvestman 
is fed thus : — Bread-and-butter, tea and milk, at 7 A.M. ; dinner 
at 12, consisting of beef, bacon and potatoes, and milk ; at 5, 
bread, butter and cheese, and butter-milk ; at 7, sweet milk and 
bread. No beer is allowed at any meal. The rents of these 
farms, including tithes and rates, may be stated at about 1Z. per 
acre, which may be taken as a fair value. The difficulties of 
cultivation are very great, as large crops can only be raised on 
ievel fields, and the handling of any crop is very difficult on an 
uneven surface. It is a great disadvantage when fields have a 
severe slope to the north ; for example, in regard to ripening of 
grain. Mr. Owen is deserving of much praise for his pluck in en- 
tering for this competition, and for giving us an opportunity of 
judging a most excellent specimen of a Welsh mountain farm. 
Class III. 
In this class a prize of 20/. was offered for farms above 40 acres 
imperial and under 80 acres. 
There is great diversity of opinion in reference to the advan- 
tage or disadvantage of small holdings. Some large farmers may 
be inclined to look askance on the farms of their smaller brethren, 
and some proprietors may likewise consider the expense of 
erecting and upholding a greater number of farmhouses and 
steadings a , disadvantage ; but, for all this, I feel inclined to 
write strongly in their favour. The great question of the day 
is, How is it possible to increase to the greatest extent the agri- 
