Cultivation of Arable Land. Barley. Quantify of Seed. 53 



of the kingdom it generally commences about the latter end of February, or the 

 beginning of March ; but in the northern parts of the ifland it often begins a 

 month or fix weeks later. The largeft quantity of feed is ufually fown from the 

 middle of March to the latter end of April. The earlier it can be put into the 

 foil in a proper ftate the better the crop will be in general ; but much muft 

 always depend on the circumftances of the feafon and the condition of the 

 land. 



d. The proportion of feed that may be neceflary muft be different, as 

 the foil is of a richer or poorer quality, as the feafon of putting it into the 

 earth is more early or late ; and according to the manner in which it is put into the 

 ground. The nature of the crop after which it is cultivated may alfo render 

 fome difference in the proportion of the feed requifite. Much lefs feed is 

 demanded where the foil is rich and fertile, than where it is poor and exhaufted ; 



and the drill method of fowing lefs than where the broadcaft plan is purfued 



Early fowifig alfo requires lefs feed than where a late period is adopted. It has 

 been obferved, that on a medium foil, in proper condition, fown broadcaft, the 

 proper proportion may be in March three and a half, in April four, and in May 

 four and a half, buftiels to the acre. Such is the difference of rich foils, that it 

 is fuppofed that it can hardly be fown too thin : one bufliel and a half fown early- 

 having afforded as much as could ftand ; where, if three or four had been put in, 

 the grain would have been lodged, and of courfe greatly reduced in its valued- 

 After turnips, and other green crops, a much lefs quantity is generally neceflary, 

 as fuch lands are moftly in a perfectly fuitable ftate for the reception of barley 

 crops. It is obferved by Mr. Young, that ff early fown crops have more time 

 to tiller than late fown ones.&quot; As this fort of grain is apt to come up in an irre 

 gular manner, and of courfe to become ripe at different periods, by which means 

 thefample often fuftains great injury, it is probable, that by fteeping the feed for 

 fuch a length of time as might be fufficient to impregnate it with a due propor 

 tion of moifture, the procefs of vegetation might be rendered not only more regular, 

 but even much more expeditious. The feed is put into the foil in different me 

 thods, being in fome cafes fown under the furrow, and in others above it. Where 

 the firft practice is adopted, the feed furrow mould be very light, otherwife the 

 grain may be depofited to fuch a depth as to greatly retard, or even prevent, much 

 of the feed from coming up in proper time. When fown on the furface, great 



A&amp;gt; r * Corrected Report of Middlcfex, 



