582 
Ayriculture of North PVules. 
been obtained, I had the pleasure of witnessing thriving planta- 
tions of timber ; the latter is the case only when the enclosure has 
been attached to large properties. Notwithstanding these re- 
marks, there has been a gradual advance during the last twenty- 
five years in agricultural improvement, but in no place is this so 
much marked as in the island of Anglesea ; and as far as I was 
informed, there has been a similar advance in the best parts of 
the county of ISIontgomeryshire ; an improvement has been 
slowly progressing in the more fertile districts during the period 
named, turnip husbandry having made a permanent, though not 
extensive, footing on the best soils, a more rapid development 
could not be expected in a pastoral district ; instead of the 
awkward ploughs alluded to by INIr. Davies, I generally found 
light iron ploughs in use, worked with two horses harnessed 
abreast : in some parts of Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire I 
saw the horses yoked two and sometimes three in a line ; but the 
practice was not general. One-horse carts were in general use, 
and waggons in the eastern part of Montgomeryshire. The 
horse in general use throughout North Wales is a hardy useful 
animal of the description which Morland used to delight to paint 
in farm-yard, watering, and blacksmith-shop scenes ; in the 
richer part of Montgomeryshire there exists a most excellent 
breed of draught horses, from which place and Shropshire, Liver- 
pool and Manchester are mainly supplied with draught horses. 
In my description of the equine genus, I ought not to omit an 
account of the wild ponies called Merlins, the breeding of which 
is nearly confined to that part of Montgomeryshire bordering on 
the south-western portion of the Berwins. Many small farmers 
do not possess a horse, and some who farm 100 acres will only 
keep one ; in these cases two neighbours similarly situated reci- 
procally lend their horses to each other ; those without any can 
generally get their work down for about 10s. per acre. The 
ploughing is generally done in a workmanlike manner, and a 
kindly feeling and goodwill usually subsists amongst neighbours 
to assist each other, and in a thinly peopled district is found 
particularly advantageous at harvest-time. Sheep are shorn m 
the upland district by neighbours mutually assisting each other 
on appointed days. 
The cattle is of the black breed in general : they are hardy, 
good milkers, and adapted to their situation. Several gentlemen 
have introduced the Ayrshire and Galloway breeds; the latter 
are looked upon by the country people as mere whims of the 
gentry. The first object ought to be to produce nutriment 
capable of sustaining superior breeds ; until then the old breed 
will maintain its ground, and under present circumstances will 
prove the best. 
