296 
Farming of Monmouthshire. 
Pigs. 
The Berkshire is now almost universally the established breed 
of the county. 
Implements. 
The double-furrow plough is coming into general use, and, 
being considered the invention of the day, is apparently super- 
seding Howard's two-horse plough, which has hitherto been 
universal. 
Coleman's and Bentall's scufflers have deservedly taken the 
place of the old larger-sized ones ; in fact, the old heavy drag is 
nearly a thing of the past. 
On one farm, the Beverley Waggon Company's two-horse 
self-delivery reaper has been used, since 1861, to great advan- 
tage. With this machine and the same pair of horses 33 acres 
have been cut in three days. 
A double-drill horse-hoe, said to be a Scotch invention, has 
been introduced, and works well. Drills for corn are in very 
general use, and farmers are quite alive to the necessity of ob- 
taining the very latest improvements in agricultural machinery. 
On several farms steam-power is used for threshing, chaffing, 
grinding, and sowing. 
Implements of the highest class are annually exhibited at the 
local Agricultural Shows. 
Conclusion. 
It is said, in Mr. Clark's ' Sketches,' that although after the 
Restoration, in the time ol King Charles, agriculture and manu- 
factures progressed even to the marches of Wales, wheat at this 
period was only known as a luxury in Monmouthshire; that in 
Queen Anne's reign the cultivation of the soil in the county 
progressed but little ; and that under the reign of George I. the 
contests with some of the European Powers checked the pro- 
gress of industry, and land was allowed to fall out of cultivation. 
Doubtless, therefore, there were but slight improvements upon 
the old state of affairs till the commencement of the present 
cenfuiy. 
'J'lie Tredegar Agricultural Show was established in 1818, 
and must at the time have awakened considerable interest among 
the agric:uitural classes. Certain it is, that all the observable 
permanent improvements in the management and cultivation of 
the land may be placed at a subsequent date to this. Of course, 
in making this statement, with a view to the consideration of 
the ngricultural improvements made, and still required, in the 
district, the supposed reclamation of the levels, centuries ago, 
