172 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch.XII. 



attacked at that season. Its leaves are sometimes discoloured either by the 

 action of frost, or the continuance of very dry weather; but if the ground 

 be moist during the development of the ear, the crop will not suffer. If, 

 however, the leaves turn yellow through excess of humidity, then it will 

 probably be spoiled. 



The naked barley is of the six-rowed species, and the ears losing the 

 beard with which the common kind are furnished, and separating naturally 

 from the husk as if they had been shelled at a mill, gives the grain the 

 bare appearance from which it has derived its name. It is highly esteemed 

 on the continent, where it is known as hie de Jerusalem, as having been 

 originallv obtained from that neighbourhood; or, more generally, from its 

 great productiveness, as orge celeste. It unites, indeed, very recom- 

 mendable qualities, being hardy in its growth, strong in the stem, tillering 

 with great vigour, and producing abundant crops of very superior grain. 

 It is also well adapted to the making of ])earl barley; and the quality of 

 the straw is better than that of any other kind : it, however, requires to be 

 sown earlier than any other sort, and only succeeds if grown in a very 

 rich and well-tilled soil*. There is also a tvvo-rosved species, which in 

 most respects resembles it, but is considered rather inferior. 



The rath-ripe, though better adapted to light soils, is yet so delicate as 

 to be sometimes destroyed by a slight frost, and is easily affected by any 

 sudden change of temperature; it is, therefore, not generally sown until 

 the beginning or the middle of May ; and it has been frequently put into 

 the ground so late as from the lOth to the 20th of June. It ripens so 

 early, that in warm summers, it is usually ready to be cut within nine or 

 ten weeks from the time of sowing; and in the forward soils of our southern 

 counties, it is frequently reaped within a still shorter period. These ad- 

 vantages of late sowing and early ripening are of such importance, that 

 notwithstanding its delicacy and the comparative smallness of its produce, 

 it is very generally cultivated. 



Winter Barley, Bere, or Bigg, is six-rowed, containing in the pro- 

 portion of at least three to two more grains in the ear than the two-rowed 

 speciesf — which usually holds only twenty grains — and requiring different 

 treatment in its growth and cultivation from the summer kinds, has been 

 looked upon by botanists as a different sort ; but it is, in fact, only a variety 

 of the same species. It is the hardiest of all grain, and is remarkable 

 for withstanding the inclemency of winter, and ripening at a much earlier 

 period than the common barley ; on which account it is largelv grown in 

 some of the exposed parts of Scotland for the crop, and in England it is also 

 grown by many farmers in the view of obtaining early spring feed for their 

 flocks, in the same manner as rye. When thus fed ofif while green, the 

 produce, if afterwards allowed to stand for a crop, is generally found to be 

 very large, and it is peculiarly suited to rich alluvial soils which have been 

 pared and burned ; but the grain is not only much smaller, but in every 



* Von Thaer states that it is considered in Germany as in every respect equal, both in 

 weight and qualit}-, to rye ; and its nutritive properties have been found, upon analysis, 

 to be even superior. — Priiic. Rais. d'Agric, 2nde ed. torn. iv. 1050. — In some parts 

 of France it is said to equal the weight of tlie best wlieats ; and its products in moun- 

 tainous countries is there calculated at 24 to 1. — Bullet, des Sciences Agric , No. IV. 



t The respective numbt'r of grains contained in a pound weight of good English 

 barley, and bigg of three different qualities, have been found to tie nearly as follows, viz, — 



Baric V . . . 10.000 



Bigg,' 1st quality . . 1-1,100 



2d ditto . . . 17,000 



-r- 3d ditto . . . 21,2J0 



