CROPS. 473 



season of sowing ; winter barley sown in autumn, spring barley, 

 which is advised to be sown as early as possible on the opening 

 of the spring, and a kind which is sown still later, under the 

 name of summer barley. There is also another division into 

 six-rowed barley and two-rowed barley, and these two kinds 

 have their sub-varieties. There is a kind called the celestial 

 barley, to which the husk is strongly attached; but which, when 

 threshed, becomes what is called a naked barley, the husk falling 

 off, and the grain itself being semi-transparent. It is a good 

 bearer, but ripens late j and in general, the naked barleys, though 

 cultivated for soups or for domestic uses, are not much sought 

 after in the markets. There is another kind, called the coffee- 

 barley, which is also a naked barley, the grain of which is 

 stated to be as heavy as that of wheat, but the straw is not 

 strong, and it is liable to be lodged. It is threshed with diffi 

 culty, and it is very subject to smut. 



The kinds usually cultivated are the common six-rowed and 

 the common two-rowed barley. This latter grain is extremely 

 hardy, and was found cultivated in Lapland, as high as 67 20 

 north. The winter barley is said to produce a much heavier 

 crop than the spring-sown ; and where the spring barley is sown, 

 it is advised to get it in as early in March as possible. The 

 quantity of seed employed is one third more than that of wheat. 

 In many rotations it follows wheat ; and in such case it is 

 strongly urged to turn under the stubble as soon as the wheat 

 crop is removed. The neglect to do this for any length of time 

 will be greatly to the disadvantage of the succeeding barley 

 crop. 



The soil for barley cannot be too rich or too well cultivated ; 

 and it should be kept as clean from weeds as possible. No plant 

 is more rapid in its vegetation j and, therefore, if manure is 

 applied to it, it should be in that decomposed state that it may 

 be immediately available for the uses of the plant. This, of 

 course, applies more to spring than to winter-sown barley, which 

 has a longer time to grow in. The soil for barley should not be 

 a hard soil, or one apt to be baked by the sun, as the roots of 

 the plant have a tendency to spread themselves, and therefore 

 demand a loose and friable soil. Barley is often taken after pota 

 toes : and, in that case, as soon as the potatoes are removed, the 

 land is turned over with the plough, and in the spring it is again 

 40* 



