Cultivation of Arable Land. Barley* Produce of. $7 



effect by their treading. It has been fuggefted, that, if by this method the njury 

 can be counteracted until fuch time as rain falls, there need not be any apprehen- 

 iion of the crop, as the plants will foon pufh forward in fuch a manner as to be 

 come too ftrong to be in danger from this infect.* It is probable too, that top- 

 dreffings, fuch as have been recommended for wheat, fown over the crop imme 

 diately before the ufe of the roller, might be of utility in leflening the ravages of 

 this deftructive worm. And it is found to be of the utmoft confequence to the 

 fuccefs of barley crops, that the weather prove moift about the period in which 

 the plants fhoot out into the ear ; as where the contrary is the cafe, the crops arc 

 liable to fuftain much injury, from the want of that fupply of food which is ne- 

 ceffary for the perfect formation of the grain. 



The produce of this kind of grain, like that of moft others, varies confiderably 

 according to the ftate of the foil, climate, and the cultivation that is employed ; 

 but the average over the whole kingdom is probably from about twenty-feven to 

 thirty bufhels the acre. In the county of Middlefex, according to the report of 

 that diftrict, the average produce is about four quarters of grain and two loads of 

 draw to the acre ; and in Yorkfhire, on the turnip lands, the produce is nearly 

 the fame ; but in many other diflricts, it does not average more than three and 

 a half. It is ftated that, in Middlefex, the draw generally fetches about one guinea 

 a load when delivered in, which, together with the chaff and thin grain, is equal to 

 one milling and fix pence the bufhel on the corn, and that, as the corn averages three 

 millings, they produce together four millings and fix pence the bufhel, or feven 

 pounds four millings the acre. 



In foils where barley crops become too rank and luxuriant, as may be the 

 cafe in very open fpring weather, on fuch lands as are in a high ftate of fertility, 

 it may often be neceffary to reflrict the over-vigorous growth of the crops, by 

 either feeding them down with fheep, or cutting them with a fcythe as a green 

 food for animals ; the latter method is faid to be preferable, as by it the rank 

 tops are only removed, while in the former the whole is indifcriminately con- 

 fumed, and particularly the ftems of the plants at the joints about the furface of 

 the ground, where they are fweet and nutritious from the quantity of faccharine 

 matter that is depofited in them, by which much injury may be done to the future 

 profperity of the crops -)-. It is probable, however, that, independent of this cir- 

 cumftance, barley crops can in but few inftances, from their tender nature, and 

 expedition with which they (hoot into ear, be fed down by fheep without 



* Synopfis of Ilufbandry, p. i)l. t Englifti Encyclopedia, Art, Husbandry. 



VOL. II. I 



