jigrkulture. 1 5 1 



AGRICULTURE. 



The following letter, addressed by the Earl of Albemarle to 

 the Norfolk farmers, is of much importance to agriculturists in 

 general : 



" Gentlemen, — Having made some experiments relating to 

 the t:robability of a good crop next harvest, to be grown from 

 black barley used for seed, I think it cannot be uninteresting to 

 you to be acquainted with the results. On Saturday the 18th 

 of January I planted two hundred kernels of three difrereiit sam- 

 ples of barley, in separate pots filled with mould taken from a 

 turnip-field (the turnips of which had been fed off by sheep), 

 which came in course for barley. The kernels were not picked, 

 but taken as thev came to hand. The pots were placed in a hot- 

 bed — No. 1 was a sample of bright barley, rather high coloured, 

 having been got up dry, but partially wetted upon the stack be- 

 fore it was thatched. This barley was sold at Harling market on 

 the 21st of January at 29$. ^d. per coomb. — No. 2 was a sam- 

 ple of black barley, of the quality of the black barley generally, 

 this year sold at Diss market on the 24th of January at 12s. per 

 coomb. — No. 3 was a sample of black barley, which had been still 

 more exposed to the rain than No. 2. I am not aware that any 

 part was grown barley. On the eighth day from the sowing 

 (Saturday the 25th of January) I examined the pots, and found 

 that of two hundred kernels sown in pot No. 1, one hundred and 

 three kernels appeared in a state of vegetation: of two hundred 

 kernels sown in pot 2, one kernel appeared in a state of vege- 

 tation ; and of two hundred kernels sown in pot No. 3, two ker- 

 nels appeared in a state of vegetation. On the I5th day from 

 the sov»ing (on Saturday the 1st of February) I again examined 

 the pots, and found that of two hundred kernels sown in pot 

 No. 1, one hundred and ninety-seven kernels appeared in a state 

 of vegetation ; of two hundred kernels sown in pot No. 2, thirty 

 kernels ap))eared in a state of vegetation ; and of two hundred 

 kernels sown in pot No. 3, eighteen kernels appeared in a state 

 of vegetation. The few plants which showed themselves in 

 Nos. 2 and 3 came up very irregularly, and looked unhealthy, 

 so much so, that it was the opinion of those who examined them 

 with me, that- had not particular care i)een taken, and had the 

 barley been exposed to too n)uch rain or drought, scarcely so 

 many wotdd have vegetated. On the twenty-second day from 

 the sowing (on Saturday tiie Sth of February) I examitied the 

 pots for the third time, and Ibimd that of two hundred kernels 

 town in pot No. 1, one hundred and ninety-seven kernels ap- 

 peared in a state of vegetation ; of two hundred kernels sown ii» 



K 4 pot 



