Tlie Agriculture of Glamorganshire. 
177 
a month or six weeks' pressure in the spring months. Instead 
of advocatin? that wheat should go out of cultivation, would it 
not be better to advise the British farmer to grow as good 
crops of wheat as he can on a limited area on soils adapted for 
it, and counsel the purchase of foreign grain as auxiliarv 
feeding-stuffs, such as maize and foreign barley at present 
prices, — the former at 25s. per 480 lb., or 5Z. 16s. Srf. per 
ton, the latter at 20s. per 400 lb., or 5/. 12s. per ton ? The 
day has gone bj when the produce of the farm sufficed to 
keep the farmer, his labourers, and his stock on home-grown 
produce. Circumstances compel him to be more cosmopolitan 
in thought, feeling, and action. The heavy clay -land of 
this portion of the county should be laid down to grass at the 
expense of the landlord, and it would command a higher 
rent, and be of greater national value than it is in its present 
form. 
MeadoKS. — There is some good grass-land in the Ely and 
other valleys through which the rivers wind their course to the 
Bristol Channel. They are formed from alluvial deposits 
washed down from the higher grounds, and when not water- 
logged, produce fine herbage of good feeding quality. The 
area of grass-land in the Vale of Glamorgan capable of feeding 
a bullock without extraneous aid in the form of cake and corn, 
is, however, comparatively small. Though many good cattle 
are reared in the district, the most of them are finished off in 
the winter months on roots, cake, and corn. The meadow land 
is seldom manured, but its fertility is maintained bv cake and 
green food, such as winter vetches, being used as auxiliary 
feeding-stuffs on the pastures. 
Cattle. — The Hereford Cattle are the favourite breed in the 
\ ale of Glamorgan, and there are several good herds. Very 
few of their owners have, however, entered their stock in the 
Herd-book of this breed, but those who have done so have been 
well repaid, as they have thereby been able to effect remunera- 
tive sales to American purchasers. There are also manv 
good Shorthorn cattle in the district, but comparatively few 
pedigree animals. Herefords are generally preferred, as suiting 
the soil and climate. They can stand more roughing than 
high-bred Shorthorns. Many crosses between the Shorthorn 
bull and the Hereford cow are to be met with in this locality, 
and they make excellent butchers' beasts. This cross arises 
from the fact that several landowners keep a good Short- 
horn bull for their own cows, and allow their tenants and 
neighbours to make a similar use of him. For crossing with 
any other breed, the Shorthorn admittedly takes the first place. 
A good many Irish cattle are also bought by the tenants of the 
VOL. XXI. — S. 8. ' N 
