Farming of Monmouthshire. 
295 
the cattle to tread the land and stand shivering under the hedges 
in winter time is rapidly on the wane, and all the principal herds 
are confined to the homestead from November till May. Steamed 
chaffed food for cattle has, on more than one farm, been aban- 
doned, under the impression that it produced hoven. 
In some instances, the Herefordshire system of rearing calves 
abroad is adopted, but the more general plan is to bring them 
up at the pail. The dairy-women in the mountainous regions 
have an invincible belief in hay-tea as a substitute for milk when 
calves are three weeks or a month old. 
The average supply of cattle at the Abergavenny and Newport 
weekly market is good. At the last-mentioned place a number 
of Irish beasts are very frequently met with ; they are brought 
direct from Cork to Newport, and thence find their way 
through the county. The heifers, although called Irish, are in 
great proportion pure English shorthorns ; for Irishmen come 
over into Wiltshire and other parts of England, buy up the calves 
when very young at the larger dairies, rear them at home, and 
then re-ship them for our ports. 
Sheep. 
As before stated, the heavier sheep are rapidly supplanting 
the mountain, or even half-breeds, upon the better farms ; and 
on some occupations (as the last exhibition at Newport testified) 
flocks of pure Cotswolds and Leicesters are reared with the 
greatest care. The Shropshire Down is a favourite sheep in 
some localities, whilst the Down and Radnor cross holds its own 
in others. Folding upon roots, with corn and cake — including 
the whole system which it involves — is becoming universal in 
the low country. The black-faced Highland sheep have been 
tried upon the mountains, but they suffer considerably by the 
prolonged rains of winter. It is very remarkable that the coarse 
wool of the Highland sheep becomes comparatively fine after two 
years' sojourn in Monmouthshire. 
The native hill-sheep are well adapted to the very changeable 
climate they have to endure; and, doubtless, by a judicious 
selection and breeding in the direct line, a valuable breed might 
be established. The ewes will rear their lambs almost in any 
place and under any circumstances ; but, as a class, these sheep 
are miserably small, and they clip but about 2 lbs. of wool each. 
The Cheviots stand the hill well, summer and winter ; they come 
to maturity early, and were it not for the perpetual dogging 
going on upon the " common without stint," they would in- 
evitably supplant the smaller breeds. 
