176 ON THE AGPJCULTUEE OF THE 



broken down by heavy barrows. From 3 to 4 bushels of seed 

 are usually allowed to the acre. The varieties most largely 

 grown are Chedham, white Essex, or white Hunter's, and red 

 wheat. 



Barley or Bere. — The following table shows the acreage under 

 barlev or bere at various times since 1854 : — 



"While wheat has been falling in value during the past few 

 years, barley has been increasing at quite a corresponding rate, 

 and therefore it is only natural to expect that the cultivation of 

 barley should be receiving increased attention. The increase in 

 the acreage of barley during the past twenty-two years, it will be 

 seen, is considerably more than equal to the decrease in that of 

 wheat, and at present there is every appearance of barley grow- 

 ing still farther in favour. There is little doubt that for a few 

 years back barley has been the most remunerative of all the grain 

 crops usually grown in this country, and were it not that a good 

 deal of the Eoss-shire land is considered unsuited for barley, this 

 variety of grain would be cultivated to a much greater extent 

 than it is. Barley is usually grown after turnips, and when the 

 land is in good heart and well cultivated — a matter of the 

 greatest importance for the success of barley cultivation — the 

 crop is invariably a very good one, not always hea\y, but generally 

 rich in grain of the finest quality. Barley will grow to perfection 

 in much lighter soil than is required for wheat, but if the soil is 

 not in a rich manurial state, and thoroughly harrowed and 

 broken down, the crop is seldom a remunerative one. The 

 system, so extensively pursued in Boss and Cromarty of allowing 

 sheep to eat the turnips off the land, is very beneficial to the 

 growth of barley. The manure left on the land by sheep is well 

 known as a sharp valuable fertiliser, and as land after turnips is 

 seldom ploughed to such a depth as stubble land, the barley roots, 

 which, unlike the piercing roots of wheat, spread laterally, can 

 easily command the nourishing ingredients imported to the soil 

 by this manure. A friable medium loam is better suited for 

 the growth of barley than the very heaviest of mould. Boss and 

 Cromarty stand eleventh in Scotland with regard to the acreage 

 under barley. The yield on an average in both counties varies 

 from 4 to 5 quarters per acre, and the weight from 53 to 55 lbs. 

 per bushel. On the better soils the yield ranges from 5 J to 6 

 quarters i)er acre, and the weight at times reaches bS lbs. In 

 one or two cases in Easter Boss as many as 8 quarters per acre 

 have been reaped, but a return of more than 6 quarters per acre 



