59 



Dr. Maercker, of Halle, in a report on u Barley Experiments with Seed 

 from Various Sources," a copy of which he has been good enough to send 

 us, says that the problem of the production of the best barley has be- 

 come an important one in the last few years in the province of the Salle, 

 which has heretofore produced the best quality, but recently has met 

 with much ill luck. To the end of studying the conditions affecting 

 this cereal and learning the physical and chemical characteristics of the 

 best varieties, seed selected by a mixed jury from a large exhibition 

 of barleys were devoted to the experiment, and distributed among the 

 leading agriculturists of the province. The varieties were grown with 

 different supplies of nitrogenous manures, all the seed having been 

 judged extremely fine (hochfeiu), and found to possess the following 

 characteristics : 



From the experiments it was found that in the matter of yield the 

 higher was obtained with the larger supply of nitrogenous manure, but 

 that the quality was somewhat injured thereby, as the percentage of 

 albuminoids was considerably raised, as can be seen from the deter- 

 minations which were made : 



Saalish. 



Danish. 



Moravian. Slavonian. 



The quality or consistency of the original seed was found in most 

 cases to be lowered ; and although the Slowakisch barley was superior 

 to the rest, three samples out of seventeen being extremely fine, three 

 fine, and eight good, it was nevertheless apparent that although the 

 quality of the seed is an essential factor in the quality of the harvest, it 

 is not the only one, but that climate, soil, manuring, and cultivation are 

 much more important and of greater influence. One can in no way ex- 

 pect that the production of barley can be improved by selected seed 

 alone. Care in .other directions and favorable climatic influences, over 

 which we have no control, are necessary as well. 



The heavy manuring of nitrogenous material, as has been said, in- 

 jured the quality, and how much so in comparison with a light one can 

 be seen by enumerating the number of experimental samples which 

 were found to be below the mean in quality. Of 89 manured with 100 

 kilograms of Chili saltpeter per hectare, only 6 were below medium ; of 



