THE FARMER'S MAGAZLNE. 



496 



soil is unsuitable for the growth of common barley. 

 On light and peaty soils here succeeds better than 

 barley, being less injured by lodging. It is gene- 

 rally taken after a potato crop, or on peaty soils 

 recently reclaimed, following the green crop which 

 succeeds the oat crops. 



The cultivation of here is being gradually more 

 and more resticted, chiefly from the lower price at 

 which it sells, compared with barley of equal weight. 

 At one time here was in much more general cul- 

 ture; even in the best parishes in the Lothians, 

 rents payable in kind, and the stipends of the 

 clergy, were payable in here. It was usually con- 

 sidered that land somewhat out of condition for 

 barley produced a more certain crop of here. From 

 the terms barley and here being frequently used 

 synonymously, there is considerable difficulty in 

 following writers of the last century as to what 

 was the kind of grain referred to. 



The kinds generally grown in Scotland are what 

 are usually termed " common bere" — straw seldom 

 over 3 feet in length ; colour, when ripe, a buff yel- 

 low — ear about 2 inches long — the grains clustering, 

 uniform and closely set— the length of awns about 

 two to three inches, these bristUng outwards, and 

 adhering with consideable force to the grain. The 

 grains are pointed and taper towards the ends. This 

 distingushes bere from common barley. The colour 

 of the grain is a dingy brown — weight seldom 

 54 lbs. the bushel ; more frequently from 40 to 

 51 lbs. Produce varies much — from 3 up to 8 qrs. 

 per acre, but is, on certain soils, more uniform in 

 yield than commonly barley, and ripens from four 

 to ten days earlier. 



Victoria bere is a selected variety, larger and 

 stifFer in the straw ; the yield is stated also to be 

 greater. This variety is coming into more general 

 favour. 



Peruvian barley is a bere — colour of grain black or 

 dark blue— grain s larger than the common barley, and 

 clustering like common bere — awns long and dark 

 coloured, adhering to the grain ; length of straw 

 ranges from 3 to 4 feet. VVhen sown early, and on 

 rich soils, this variety is prolific, nearly equalUng 

 that of Chevalier barley. But there exists a strong 

 prejudice against it, both by millers and maltsters, 

 from the colour of the grain. The name Peruvian 

 indicates that it was imported from Peru; but it is 

 similar in character to the black winter barley of 

 the continent, and may be regarded as identical. 

 Beyond experiments, this variety has never found 

 a place, and is now all but neglected. 



Common Scotch barley has been cultivated from 

 time immemorial. It seems to be identical with 

 common English barley. There appear to be 

 several kinds, some being more prolific than others. 

 These sub-varieties are probably in part the result 

 of selection, but more generally of continued culti- 

 vation on fertile soils. One of the best of these is 

 Bell's. Other names are in use — Stirlingshire, &c. 

 The straw of the common barley is generally about 

 3i feet in length, small in the pen, leaf narrow, de- 

 ficient in strength, and liable to lodge — especially 

 on soils in high condition, with an excess of car- 

 bonaceous matter. The grain is two-rowed; the 

 number of grains in the ear generally under twenty- 

 eight; awns extend about 3 inches; when well 



ripened, readily parts with the awns ; the grain is 

 less pointed than bere ; colour a buft' yellow ; in 

 very dry seasons, the colour has a tendency to a 

 bright golden tinge. Weight of grain from 50 to 

 56 lbs. the bushel ; average about 53 lbs. Produce 

 is very unequal, being more influenced by the cha- 

 racter of the season than any other variety; aver- 

 age produce 3;^ qrs. — extreme produce 7 qrs. It 

 occupies a greater breadth than any of the other 

 varieties, mainly from its earliness, and also from 

 its admitting more air to the soil — thus fostering 

 the growth of grass seeds — these being usually 

 sown with the barley crop. In the best-farmed 

 districts, however, common barley, from its softness 

 of straw — thus being more liable to lodge from wet 

 during the period of growth, and, from sprouting 

 much more rapidly when the grain is in the stook 

 — has generally given place to Chevalier with its 

 sub- varieties. The weight of straw per acre sel- 

 dom exceeds a ton and a-half per acre — average 

 little over one ton. 



Chevalier takes the name from the propagator, a 

 gentleman in the south of England ; introduced 

 into Scotland about 1835, and rapidly came into 

 general favour. Experiments undertaken at its 

 introduction into East Lothian usually gave an 

 increase of produce over common barley of 6 to 

 8 bushels per acre, with an increased weight of 

 grain per bushel of from 1 to 2 lbs. On some farms 

 where the situation is not so favourable for the 

 growth of barley, it is stated that the yield does 

 not exceed that of common barley. Chevalier is 

 generally of a luxuriant growth; straw about 4 

 feet in length, pen of greater diameter and stout- 

 ness than the common barley, leaf broader. 

 Weight of straw sometimes exceeds two tons per 

 acre — average weight about one and a-half tons; 

 readily eaten by stock, particularly by horses. The 

 ears resemble common barley. Number of grains 

 generally under thirty; grain rounder and more 

 plump. Sample otherwise generally superior to 

 common barley, especially when the grain has 

 been early sown, and the season favourable. 

 Period of ripening from eight to ten days behind 

 common barley, and therefore generally sown in 

 March, or latest by the middle of April. Weight 

 of grain from 53 to 58 lbs. per bushel ; 60 lbs. 

 have been grown, but this is very exceptional. In 

 the best barley districts of Scotland the average 

 weight, when well dressed, varies from 54 to 571bs. 

 Produce per acre from three and a-half quarters up 

 to nine quarter — in one or two cases this latter 

 quantity has been exceeded. The produce is more uni- 

 form than common barley, besides being larger. The 

 variety is not suitable for late and exposed districts, 

 the ears being hable to break off" during storms in 

 harvest; when the crop is allowed to become too 

 ripe, the stalk is bent close to the car, and the 

 weight of the ear occasionally breaks the straw. 

 There also exists a prejudice, especially in Carse 

 districts, where there is a tendency to a luxuriant 

 tillering and growth in the straw, that the close- 

 ness of the crop injures the braird of grass seeds. 

 In the Lothians, "however, it is preferred, on ac- 

 count of the stiff'ness of straw, rendering it less 

 liable to lodge, and thus destroy the grass seeds. 

 It also withstands a wet harvest better then the 



