Agriculture of North Wahs. 
563 
beautifully picturesque valleys which is to be seen in the country, 
and which literally lies under his feet ; it is embosomed on every 
side by high and precipitous mountains, so much so that it is 
almost impossible for the spectator, from his high position, to 
im;:gine the place for ingress or regress.* On descending the 
mountain I found that the vale which looked so beautiful was lar 
from having its capabilities fully developed : the meadows and 
pastures abounded with dwarf aquatic grasses, the soil being com- 
posed of peat mixed with finely divided argillaceous and siliceous 
matters — one of the most fruitful soils under proper management. 
There exists, to the south-east of the Berwin range, and still 
situate on the protozoic rocks, an undescribed portion of fertile 
country. It is bounded on the north and west by a line drawn 
from Hirnant, through Llangynnog by Craig y Glyn to Gym 
IMoelfre, beyond which, a little to the eastward, it is bounded by 
the limestone rocks extending on the eastern border of Wales 
from Llansainlfraid to Llanymenach. Its southern boundary is 
nearly co terminous with the liver Vyrnwy. The rivers Tanat 
and Avon Caen run through the district. The soil is generally a 
deep rich hazel loam, dry, and adapted to every species of hus- 
bandry. The country I am now describing is covered with gentle 
undulating hills, with intervening valleys of great pastoral, some- 
times intermixed with sylvan, beauty. My principal reason for 
separating the sole consideration of the soil of the protozoic rocks 
existing on the eastern from that on the western side of the 
Arenigs, was to point out the fertile tract now under description 
as diflering wholly in appearance from any thing to be found else- 
where on the protozoic rocks. The appearance and constituents 
of the soil would suggest that it was formed by the decomposition 
of the upper silurian rocks which lay to the south of the Vyrnwy. f 
and which on the eastward closely approaches LlanfiUan. The 
country in the vicinity of Welchpool (the upper silurian) pos- 
sesses in part the characteristics of the country described as situ- 
ated between the Vyrnwy and the Tanat. It gradually becomes 
less undulating, and eventually assumes the appearance, as it 
* It is said that Dr. Johnson took the idea of the happy valley in 
' Jlasselas' from the Vale of Chvyd. The Vale of Llangfynnog, as viewed 
fiom the top of the mountain descent, is much more appropriate. 
t It is probable that the soil has been formed by the decomposition of 
the upper silurian rocks, and deposited in its present situation whilst 
beneath the sea and below the level of the neighbouring upper silurian 
formation, which extends from the Vyrnwy to Welchpool. From similar 
indications I conjecture that the Hiraethog range has been thrown up at 
two or more intervals, which would in some degree account for the dif- 
ferent quality of the soil in the northern part, which is so barren, from the 
southern portion, which joins the Berwin range at Llangollen, the soil 
surrounding the latter place being pretty good. 
