140 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



Table XI. 

 Showing the Results of similar ExperimeDts in Successive Barley Growing, taken from Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert's 

 Article on the Growth of Barley by Different Manures (Boyal Agricultural Society's Journal, vol. xviii., 1857). 



Looking at the results of Tables X. and XI., it is 

 seen from the former that for seven consecutive 

 years a yearly acreable average cf wheat was grown 

 with artificial manures alone at the rate of 29 1 



And from the latter, that for six successive years a 

 yearly aoreable average of barley was returned at the 



rate of 48 



Hence, then, in this is presented the remarkable cir- 

 cumstance, that, taking four years at a time into com- 

 putation, the yield within this period was as great as if 

 within a single course of a four-field rotation under 

 ordinary husbandry, the land had per acre produced 

 58 bushs. 1 1 peck of wheat, and 90 bushs. of barley. 

 Moreover, it is beyond measure important to observe, 

 that in all these experimental instances the rate of yield 

 was progressively increasing : thus — 



B. P. 



Average produce of wheat, plots 18a, 18b, and 17a, 



Table X., 1st part of seven years per acre 28 OJ 



Ditto ditto 2nd pari; ditto ditto 30 1 



Yearly increase at the end of seven years per acre 2 0| 



Average produce of barley, plots 14, 17, 20, Table 



XI., 1st part of six years, per acre 47 3 



Ditto 2nd part ditto 50 Oi 



Yearly increase at the end of six years, per acre.. 2 1\ 

 Again, comparing the productive effects of artificial 

 manures with those of farm-yard dung obtained and ap- 

 plied extraneously, they stand as follows ; — 



B. p. 

 Average yearly produce of wheat per acre grown in 

 seven successive years with artificial manure (see 



abstract, end of Table X,) 39 1 



Ditto ditto with 14 tons of farm-yard dung 

 yearly (see Table X.) 28 0^ 



Yearly superiority of produce by artificials. . 1 Of 



Average yearly produce of barley per acre in six suc- 

 cessive years with artificial manures (see Table 

 XI.) 48 3| 



Ditto ditto with 14 tons of farm-yard dung yearly 43 0^ 



Yearly superiority of produce by artificials.. 5 8^ 



It would, indeed, be extraordinary if English hus- 

 bandmen could much longer withstand the pressure of 

 such facts as these. The time cannot be far off when 

 the existing problems respecting both the cultural and 

 economic value of commercial manures will receive 

 systematic and practical determination at the hands of 

 farmers themselves. 



THE HORSE IN ARABIA.— The horse is involved in 

 the most ancient superstitions of the people of Arabia, 

 They believe him to be endowed with a nature superior, not 

 in degree only, but in kind, to that of other animals, and to 

 have been framed by the Almighty with a special regard to 

 the convenience of man, and the setting forth of his person. 

 It is one of their old proverbs, that, after man, the most 

 eminent creature is the horse ; the best emploj'ment is that 

 of rearing it ; the most delightful posture is that of sitting 

 on its back : and the most meritorious of domestic actions 

 is that of feeding it. Mahomet himself did not disdain to 

 inculcate a lesson of kindness towards the horse. " As 

 many grains of barley," said he, " as are contained in the 

 food we give to a horse, so many indulgences do we daily 

 gain by giving it." The belief is widely spread that the 

 best breeds are descended from five favourite mares of the 

 prophet, on which he and his friends fled from Mecca to 

 Medina. — CasselVs Popular Natjiral History. 



