294 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



soon regained by the more rapid growth of the 

 youn/r plant, which is often observed to maintain 

 the vigour of its early and prosperous career un- 

 abated up to the time of harvest. 



When a strong loamy soil has to be prepared 

 for barley, especially after it has been hardened by 

 the treading of the sheep, we are often obliged to 

 modify our course so as to secure (if possible) the 

 assistance of frost. With this object the land is 

 ploughed up as early as may be after the sheep are 

 removed, and is laid up so as to catch the frost. 

 If the soil gets thoroughly frozen, the after-working 

 of the land becomes comparatively easy, provided 

 reasonable care is taken in selecting the proper 

 time for cross-ploughing and working the land for 

 the seed. The most laborious and difficult prepa- 

 ration for barley is when land of this description 

 is ploughed up in a close condition, so as to be 

 smeared by the mould-board, and, instead of 

 getting any frost upon it afterwards, becomes har- 

 dened by exposure. It then requires a vast 

 amount of labour in the shape of rolling, dragging, 

 and ploughing, before it can be reduced to a fair 

 state of sowing, and after all dors not afford a 

 srtisfactory seed-bed for the barley. 



I do not know any kind of corn which suffers 

 so much in its quality as barley, from being sown 

 in an unfavourable seed-bed ; this is, however, 

 much more evident upon land of a strong and ad- 

 hesive nature than elsewhere, probably because its 

 mechanical condition is less under our control. 

 The benefit derived from the action of frost en- 

 ables us to grow, on such soils, barley of fair 

 malting quality ; but, if we do not plough in timj 

 for the frosts to act upon the land, the produce is 

 rarely fit for the maltster, and can be only em- 

 ployed for feeding purposes. 



The best qualities of barley, as well as the largest 

 crops, are produced from soils very free and open 

 in their character, and these indicate the condition 

 to which we should endeavour to bring any soil 

 upon which this crop is to be s own. To promote the 

 same freedom in the soil, the seed should always be 

 sown when the land is dry; for, as we have seen 

 in the preparation for wheat, that a wet seed-time 

 was conducive to that increased firmness of the 

 soil which was then cur object, sj now, when we 

 wish to avoid this effect upon the land, we should 

 in every way avoid the cause. 



The use of the drill is very generally preferred, 

 for sowing barley, to every other mode, and for 

 early sowmgs on light soil is particularly desirable, 

 because it gives an opportunity for hoeing the 

 ground before the clover-seeds are sown. Upon 

 the stronger description of land, a very large pro- 

 portion is sown broadcast, because thus there is 



less compression of the soil, and a larger breadth 

 can be quickly sown, just when the land is in the 

 best condition to receive it. The usual quantity of 

 seed sjwn is from 2;|; to 3 bushels per acre; but 

 upon soils of inferior quality as much as 4 bushels 

 per acre are sometimes used. For late sowings 

 the quantity is increased, because the plants have 

 less time to establish themselves, so as to produce 

 a sufficient plant. 



The difference of seasons has a greater influence 

 upon barley than upon any of our corn-crops ; for 

 sometimes the early-sown crops are the best, and 

 at other times the last sowing excels all the others. 

 This generally arises from the alterations produced 

 in the mechanical condition of the land. If, for 

 instance, a piece of land has been well prepared for 

 barley, and brought to that degree of fineness 

 which is so desirable for it, and after the sowing a 

 long continuance of wet weather sets in, it is more 

 than probable that the soil will run together and 

 form a crust, alike unfavourable to the germination 

 of the seed and the subsequent growth of the 

 plant. On another piece of land of a similar cha- 

 racter, sown perhaps a month later, but not thus 

 prejudiced by the weather, the seed grows freely, 

 the plant continues to flourish up to the time of 

 the harvest, and produces a decidedly better crop. 

 If this were a constant result, the difficulty would 

 easily be overcome by a later sowing; but next 

 season, possibly, the circumstances may be re- 

 versed—dry weather may favour the rapid growth 

 of the early sowings, and delay the germination 

 and general development of the late-sown barley. 

 The time of sowing may be stated as including the 

 month of April, in some cases commencing a little 

 earlier, and in others being prolonged beyond that 

 period. 



The depth for sowing the seed is not subject to 

 the same variations as in the case of wheat : one 

 inch may be considered sufficient, in all soils, to 

 secure its healthy germination. The condition in 

 which the land is to be left after the sowing, in 

 some measure depends upon the time of perform- 

 ing that operation. When the barley is put in 

 early, the land may be well harrowed, and left 

 without rolling; but as the latter sowings are ge- 

 nerally accompanied by the clover-seed, these are 

 harrowed and rolled to a fine surface. The object 

 in leaving the one unrolled is to prevent the sur- 

 face from running together after rain. In the 

 latter case there is less risk on this account, as 

 most of the stormy rains of April are by this time 

 passed, and the more genial weather of May gives 

 less cause for anxiety.— Journal of the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society. 



(To he continued.) 



BEEF AND BEER. 



Mythology lias doflicatcd no deity to the liome- 

 brewed, and so that stalwart knight, Sir John 

 Barleycorn, escorted Ceres and her train into his 

 stronghold at Burton-upon-the-Trent. The meeting 

 was in every-way an auspicious one, aud seldom 



have two great Powers corac together imder more 

 encouraging circumstances. As the guest of the oc- 

 casion, Agriculture had of course to accommodate her- 

 self to local liabit and association ; and malt aud hops 

 gave a fine flavour to this anniversary of the Stafltord. 



