Agriculture of North Wales. 
561 
Snowdon being here seen, which closes the vista to the south- 
ward), leaving only a very narrow jnargin of arable land, but of 
good quality. The sides of the hills are now however extensively, 
and especially on the Gvvydir estate, most tastefully planted with 
larch, beech, and birch; this continues to the junction of the 
protozoic with the upper silurian range, about midway between 
Bettwys y Coed and Pentre Veolas. The preceding outline will, 
I trust, give the reader a general outline of the appearance of the 
hills and glens of the extensive tract of country which may em- 
phatically be called the alpine slate district of North Wales. 
The district south of that just described, though not abounding 
with as numerous high peaks as the one previously noticed, yet 
the average surface of the soil is perhaps of much higher altitude 
than the alpine district already delineated,* being bounded on the 
east by the towering and majestic summits of the Arenigs and 
Arran Mowddy, and traversed in a north and south direction by 
two ranges of high hills which intervene between the Arenigs 
and Cardigan bay, in the south Cader Idris, and the adjacent 
hills, which may be called her satellites, occupy also a large 
space of the county now under notice. Very little land in this 
district is found under tillage ; it principally lies in the vicinity of 
the sea-coast, the banks of the Mau, the Unwin, and the Dyffi. 
A large extent of the surface of this district is occupied by peat- 
mosses of all forms and varied extent, many of which are capable 
of being brought into cultivation at a slight expense, the farmers 
are principally engaged in grazir.g and rearing black cattle and 
sheep, the predominating stock being black cattle. 
To the east of the last described district, but on the same 
geological formation, the protozoic rocks stretch from the Arenig 
chain to the limestone on the borders of England, whicli forms 
the eastern boundary, being co-terminous on the northern boun- 
dary with the upper silurian system of Denbighshire, from 
Ysj)etty Evan to Chirk ; its southern boundary is formed by a 
most tortuous line drawn through Mallwyd, Carrig-y-Big, Llan- 
fillan. Pen y Craig, to the limestone range at Llanymenach. 
This portion of the protozoic formation of North Wales is deserv- 
ing of especial attention, as in addition to the porphyries, slates, 
and grauwackes found in other districts, there exist also several 
* The mountains do not appear to the spectator of so great an altitude 
as in the first described district, in consequence of his frequently uncon- 
sciously standing on land as high as some of the minor summits in Caer- 
narvonshire, the inhabitants being a gradual and constant elevation 
towards the centre of the district, whether the traveller proceeds from 
Harlech, Dolgelly, or the Vale of Festiniog. Nannau, the residence of 
Sir Robert Vaughan, between Dolgelly and Bala, is said to be the highest 
gentleman's residence in Great Britain ; and Bala Lake is said to be 1000 
feet perpendicular above the level of the sea. 
