On the Management of Barley. 461 



In 1836 



CORN. STRAW. 



Bush, pecks. Tons cwt. lbs. 



Chevalier .... 42 14 1 



Common barley . . 42 15 6 



American .... 40 14 4 



1841 



Brewers' Delight . . 57 1 16 6 



Berkshire .... 56 2 162 



Chevalier .... 60 1 176 



Nottingham ... 56 3 180 



1845 



Brewers* Delight . . 52 

 Chevalier .... 48 3 



The foregoing experiments are strong proofs in favour of Che- 

 valier — ^in every year it was the best quality. '' Brewers' Delight" 

 is, I believe, quite equal to Chevalier for malting purposes ; and 

 in appearance, there is in fact little or no difference. I am a very 

 strong advocate for a constant and judicious change of seed, and 

 although it may sometimes be expensive to obtain it from a great 

 distance, I believe it will generally repay the cost by an increase 

 of produce and an improvement of quality. 



A few years ago a very strong instance confirming my opinion 

 in this respect came under my observation. On two adjoining 

 farms, in a barley growing district, both much alike as to quality 

 of soil, the occupier of No. 1 being in the habit of constantly 

 changing his seed and sowing tolerably early, and the occupier of 

 No. 2 systematically never changing his seed and sowing rather 

 late, the quality of the barley grown upon No. I in the year 

 referred to, was remarkably good ; and upon No. 2 it was so very 

 inferior, as to be quite unsaleable for any but the most common 

 purposes; and 25. per bushel, or I65. per quarter, was the differ- 

 ence in the price these barleys fetched at several times during 

 that season, on the same day and at the same market. The pro- 

 duce per acre also was, as nearly as could be ascertained, very 

 much greater on farm No. 1. 



I have never heard that Chevalier, or any of its varieties, were 

 not hardy, or incapable of being produced in cold and bleak 

 situations ; but rather the contrary, and on the whole it appears 

 that the charge brought against it, of yielding badly in some 

 districts, is not borne out by universal opinion. Before it be con- 

 demned, I should strongly recommend all to test it accurately by 

 careful experiments. 



There may be, and probably are, descriptions of land quite 

 incapable of producing the best quality of barley, and upon such 

 soils, a greater produce of the common barley may perhaps be 

 grown. It would, however, be going too far to recommend this 



