Agricultural Chemistry — Sheep- Feeding and Manure. 325 



freely granted by the Board of Excise to disturb the " floors," 

 and remove samples for analysis from time to time, at the malting 

 of Mr. Curtis of Harpenden, who kindly furthered the end in 

 view by his assistance and advice. 



The barley being all measured over^ the weight of every eighth 

 bushel being taken, an average was struck from which the actual 

 weight of the barley to be steeped could be calculated. The 

 grain, as is well known, first remains for a certain time in a cistern 

 under water, where it swells considerably, having absorbed a large 

 quantity of water, and lost by solution a considerable amount of 

 saline matter and of organic substance containing nitrogen. The 

 water being run off, the "'wetted''"' grain is then removed to the 

 *' couch," where it remains for some time in a layer of from 12 to 

 16 inches in depth. It is afterwards spread out at a less depth on 

 the floor, and is frequently turned over, and moved along by degrees 

 from time to time, until it is conceived to be sufficiently grown, 

 when, provided it has been in progress as long as is required by 

 the rules of the Excise, it is dried in the kiln, where it is placed 

 upon a frame of wire-gauze, which allows more or less of the 

 young shoots or '' dust " to pass through ; this portion being then 

 called ^' kiln-dust,'"' which being contaminated with the ashes from 

 the furnace is rendered unfit for food. The remainder of the 

 young shoots still adhering to the grain is separated by treading 

 and screening, and the dust thus obtained is distinguished as 

 " malt -dust, ^' and is valued for feeding purposes. 



Samples were taken of the barley, of the wetted barley in the 

 couch, and several times afterwards from the '^floors," at intervals 

 of about four days, and finally from the malt and the several qua- 

 lities of dust; and the following Table provides a view of the re- 

 sults of analysis so far as already proceeded with, and as is essential 

 for our present purpose, though specimens of all the products 

 have been sufficiently dried for preservation, in order that the 

 subject may be more fully worked out when leisure shall 

 permit : — 



SERIES IV. 



Table 6. — Showing the Composition of Specimens of Barley, and 



products, taken at intervals as the Malting process proceeds. 



