Ch. XII.] ON BARLEY. 175 



Early sowing is generally recommended; and, intact, the finest samples 

 of every kind of grain are usually thus produced. Barley, if put soon into 

 the ground, and if the weatlier prove favourable, casts belter, and usually 

 produces better crops than if sown late. Thus, upon strong lands, it is apt 

 to run to straw when not sown in good time, and this, occasioning it to 

 lodge, discolours the grain ; while, upon light lands, there will be little 

 straw and less corn, and both will be of very inferior quality*. Opposed to 

 this, however, is the risk of early frosts ; which, if they happen with much 

 severity, will so far check vegetation as to render the crop very inferior. 

 On this subject we have the evidence of Mr. Burroughs, who " having 

 been an advocate for early sowing, under any circumstances whatever, 

 gave directions to have his general crop of barley sown early in April, but 

 deferred the sowing of two acres until the first week in May t. The result 

 of the experiment was as follows : — 



The early sown crop looked very promising until early in May, when, 



after a few nights frost, it changed its colour, many of the collateral 



shoots died away, and the crop produced but indifferently. On the 



contrary, that part of the field sown in May was not checked, but 



grew luxuriantly, and produced considerably more than the former to 



the acre. The field was a light loamy sand, with a subsoil of cold 



yellow clay. 



Upon a second experiment it was found that, notwithstanding the early 



sown crop was not injured by the frost, yet it was not so productive as 



that which was sown three weeks later. 



The quantity of seed usually sown is about four bushels per acre, of all 



kinds ; but the ordinary species of two-rowed barley, if allowed room 



enough, tillers strongly, and if sown too thick, the plants become weak ; 



it consequently requires less seed than most other sorts : the land also 



requires different quantities of the same species of seed according to its 



properties: thus, if rich, ten pecks maybe sufficient; if adhesive, twelve 



are requisite ; and if very light, from fourteen to sixteen are necessary, 



when sown broad-cast. 



The mode of sowing may be either by the drill, or broad-cast ; the former 

 is, however, to be preferred ; both as being well adapted to the light soils 

 upon which barley is generally grown, as ensuring a more equal deposition 

 of the seed, and as affording a surer method of distributing any grass-seeds, 

 which may be put in afterwards. When drilled, the most usual distance for 

 the rows is eitrht inches for fine light soils, and nine for those which are 

 stronger : the quantity of seed may also be full two pecks less than when 

 broad-cast. Tlie land then gets a single turn of the harrows ; and just a 

 sufficient number of harrowings to cover the seed when sown broad-cast. 

 It is afterwards rolled ; but when clover is to be sown, this latter operation 

 is deferred until the seeds and barley are both in the ground. 



The sowing of clover and grass-seeds is sometimes effected simulta- 

 neously with that of barley ; but it is generally considered better to let the 

 barley plants first get above the ground, and then harrow the clover in 

 with very light wooden harrows. The rolling then takes place along the 

 ridges ; and if the land be very dry and open, the seeds are frequently 

 sown without being harrowed in, as they should be only slightly covered 

 by the soil, and they will, in such case, be sufficiently buried by the roller. 

 If, however, heavy rain should occur after the sowing of the barley has 

 been completed, the land should be lightly harrowed as soon as it is dry, 



* Drew's Norfolk Husbandry, p. 103. 

 f On the Cultivation and Harvesting of White Crops. 



