Welsh Journals

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Editorial Notes. Frontispiece .-The photograph, which was kindly supplied by the National Museum of Wales through the mediation of Mr. J. B. Willans, shows an old farm-building between Llanidloes and Machynlleth; the date of the original appears to be 1813 or 1818. It is of further interest in providing an illustration of a Montgomeryshire slide-car, which is shown leaning against the building. Slide-car. — The photograph of the slide-car or car cefn, which was published as a frontispiece to Part I. of this volume,, called forth further information about the distribution of the vehicle. Mr. J. M. Howell reported that it is still used in the hilly country between Cemmaes and Aberdyfi, and Mr. J. D. K. Lloyd mentions its occurrence on a farm in Bwlch Oer Drws, about two miles from Dinas Mawddwy. A specimen in sound condition would be a valuable addition to the Museum. Horns and Pipes.-Down to the middle of the last century, shepherd boys in these islands made musical pipes out of oaten straws. The Welsh are reported to have used cegr for the same purpose. The Welsh pip-corn was apparently made of a reed with six stops and a piece of horn at each end. Could specimens be found for the Powys-land Museum ? Our grandparents made joyful sounds by blowing cows' horns on May 1st, when the last sheaf was cut in the cornfield, and when the last load of corn was brought home. Young men who were starting from the farm on a long journey to fetch lime blew such horns in order that they might meet others on the road for the sake of companionship and assistance in the case of accidents, which were not improbable when roads were bad. It is said that the cow's horn almost became the recognised attribute of the butcher's boy. Are they still remembered on some of the outlying districts ? Gorddwr.-In Border Notes (Bulletin of Celtic Studies, November, 1941) Sir John Edward Lloyd refers to the varying fate of Gorddwr-the land beyond the river. The district extends on the right bank of the Severn