Welsh Journals

502 BYE-GONES. Nor. 2, 1893. representing upwards of 18,000 volumes of all kinds' and sizes. These include books in the Welsh language, books about Wales, works in general literature by natives of Wales, and works relating to the four border counties. In date they range from 1508 downwards. The work immediately to be done by the Committee includes the compiling and publishing of general subjects and authors' catalogue, the binding of a large number of books, which, though prepared for the purpose by the original owner, remained unbound when the library was sold, and the formation of a fund for continuing the collection, which in its comprehensive form comes down only to 1802. It is estimated that for the objects stated the sum of £500 a year will be required for three years. Mr James Howell of Cardiff has promised 50 guineas for three years. N07J3MBES 2, 1898. NOTES. IMPORTING IRISH SOIL TO WALES TO DESTROY SNAKES, &c—A friend, the Rev W. M. Roberts, Church Missionary Secretary for North Wales, who makes Aberdovey his home, told me that the gardener he employs saw snakes on the ground, and that he stated that they could easily be destroyed by sprinkling Irish soiloverthe spot;. Upon inquiry, MrRobertsfound this was generally believed all along the coast. Once a vessel came in to Aberdovey that had brought as ballast soil from Ireland, and thi3 soil was easily sold. Mr Roberts bought a few tons, and his man sprinkled it over the garden to destroy the poor innocent snakes. He could not tell me whether it had the desired effect. I hope not. Mr Roberts, however, said that it is a local belief that reptiles cannot live with Irish soilabout them. St. Patrick cleared Ireland of objection¬ able vermin, but I was not aware that imported Irish soil could import the Saint's virtues, and his antipathy to snakes, to foreign parts. E.O. THE COLLEGE FARM AT LLEDWIGAN. —It is curious to find that the College Farm of the University College of North Wales was opened (Oct. 15) on the very spot where a noted Welsh thresher named Morris Llwyd heroically and successfully resisted and defeated several of Oliver Cromwell's soldiers. Anglesey has fre¬ quently been represented as raising great quan¬ tities of grain, and has on that account been oftentimes styled " Mon, Mam Cymru." Giral- dus Carabrensis, in the 12bh century, gave the term the interpretation of the Nursery, or the Mother of Wales, because it supplied the other Welsh counties with grain in times of scarcity. Mr Rowlands, the eminent antiquary, in his Idem Agricultural, says that.by penfolding in the nights and at mid-day during summer and autumn, Anglesey was able to send to other counties such quantities of rye and corn as to deserve the venerable title of a mother. It is within the memory of many that most of the farmhouses in the island were small, mean, straw-thatched dwellings, and the old fences on the farms were broad banks or mounds of earth, sufficiently wide for two or three persons to walk abreast, and without anything growing on them ; the gorse grew to such an uncommon size that a man on horseback could hardly be seen when once he got into these covers, which in itself is pretty strong evidence of the goodness of the land, with due cultivation. In 1795 the acreage of the island was stated at 170,000,and deducting 12,000 of waste land, it appeared that no more than an eleventh part of the enclosed lands were then under tillage. Anglesey is said to have supplied the King of Man with timber, and on account of its thick groves of wood, was at one time cal'ed " Ynys Dywell," " the dark or shady island," Mr Roberts, in his Maj) of Commerce published about 1649, says the island then sent to the English market about 3,000 head of cattle annually. Mr Lewis Morris, in his Book of Charts, 1747, increases the number to 15,000; but some subsequent writers have reduced it to 10,000. The number of sheep is stated at from 5,000 to 7,000, and nearly the same number of hogs or pigs. So we hope this county, when it comes to the reckoning under the management of the College Farm, will take as prominent a place in agriculture as any of the counties within the United Kingdom. This is not the first time, according to common belief, systematic know¬ ledge has gone forth out of Mona ; for out of this island went forth the Ancient Druidieal System, and, through William Penn, it i3 said to be closely allied with the origin, and therefore with the pros¬ perity,of the United States. And no doubt from this newly-founded College farm will go forth intelligent young men who, possibly in the near future, will revolutionise past methods of agricul¬ ture, and be forward, if not foremost, in keeping this country, Britain, to th6 front in the markets of the world. T.F. EARLY LEAVES IN THE MALLWYD PARISH REGISTERS. Continued (July 13, 1898) :- An'o D'ni 1582. Itm Joha'nes ap Ellissey ap Ieu'n ap ll'n baptizat fuit xiij0 die Aprilis Ao vt sup'. Itm Rowlandus ap Robert ap Morice sepultus fuit xxvij0 die Aprilis ao vt sup'. Itm Abraham ap Edward y gof begotten in adultery vpon the body of one Katharine vz leu'n was christened on Saturday being the xxviijth day of 4.pril ao vt sup'. Itm John ap Dauid ap Ieu'n lloyd was christened the third day of May the yere aboue written. Itm John ap John was xp'tened the vjth day of May in the yere of our Lord God 1582. Itm Elizabeth vz Gruff was buried on mooneday being the vijth of May the yere aboue written.