758 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



sweated in the mow, and is a sure indication that its coat is thin. The husk of thick 

 rinded barley being too stiff to shrink, will lie smooth and hollow, even when the inside 

 flour has shrunk from it. The necessity of a change of seed from time to time, by sow- 

 ing that of the growth of a different soil, as has been observed, is in no instance more 

 evident than in the culture of this grain, which otherwise becomes coarser and coarser 

 every year. But in this, as well as in all other grain, the utmost care should be taken 

 that the seed be full bodied. 



4671. The best soil for barley is a light rich loam, finely pulverised. It will neither 

 grow well on a sandy or soft soil, nor on strong clays, such as are suitable for wheat. 



4672. The preparation of the soil is sometimes by a naked fallow, but generally by a 

 turnip fallow : sometimes it is taken after pease and beans, but rarely by good farmers, 

 either after wheat or oats, unless under special circumstances. When sown after turnips, 

 it is generally taken with one furrow, which is given as fast as the turnips are consumed, 

 the ground thus receiving much benefit from spring frosts. But often two or more fur- 

 rows are necessary for the fields last consumed ; because, when a spring drought sets in, 

 the surface, from being poached by the removal or consumption of the crop, gets so 

 hardened as to render a greater quantity of ploughing, harrowing, and rolling necessary, 

 than would otherwise be called for. When sown after beans and pease, one winter and 

 one spring ploughing are usually bestowed ; but, when after wheat or oats, three plough- 

 ings are necessary, so that the ground may be put in proper condition. These opera- 

 tions are very ticklish in a wet and backward season, and rarely in that case is the grower 

 paid for the expense of his labor. Where land is in such a situation as to require three 

 ploughings before it can be seeded with barley, it is better to summer fallow it at once, 

 than to run the risks which seldom fail to accompany a quantity of spring labor. If the 

 weather be dry, moisture is lost during the different processes, and an imperfect germina- 

 tion necessarily follows : if it be wet, the benefit of ploughing is lost, and all the evils of a 

 wet seed-time are sustained by the future crop. {Brown.) 



4673. To whatever crop barley succeeds, the harrow and roller, when the plough alone is insufficient, 

 should be employed in reducing the soil to a considerable degree of fineness. In most cases more than 

 one earth is given ; though, after a winter furrow, the grubber may be used in spring instead of the 

 plough. After turnips, eaten on the ground by sheep, the land, being consolidated by their treading, 

 sometimes receives two ploughings ; but if only one, it should be well harrowed and rolled ; and it is often 

 finished by harrowing after the roller, especially if grass-seeds be sown, which are covered by this last 

 harrowing. Barley is sometimes sown on the first ploughing, and covered by a second shallow ploughing. 

 As it is found of great importance, with a view to speedy and equal vegetation, that the ground should be 

 fresh and moist, barley is generally sown upon what is termed hot-fur, that is, as soon as possible after it 

 is turned up by the plough. 



4674. Manure can seldom be given with advantage to a crop that occupies the soil so 

 short a period as barley, and therefore it generally is sown on land which has been en- 

 riched for a preceding crop. 



4675. The climate in which barley delights is warm and dry. There are instances of 

 a crop being sown and ripened without having enjoyed a single shower of rain ; but 

 gentle showers from the time it is sown till it begins to shoot into the ear, are favorable ; 

 while heavy rains at any period, and especially immediately after sowing, or during the 

 blossoming, ripening, and reaping season, are highly injurious. 



4676. The best season for sowing barley is considered to be from the beginning of 

 April to the middle of May ; but bigg may be sown either in autumn to stand the winter, 

 or as late as the first week of June. In England, the winter or four-rowed barley is 

 frequently sown in autumn, and stands the most severe winters. With respect to the 

 lateness at which bigg and summer barley may be sown, much depends on the sort of 

 feather which occurs during the first three weeks after sowing. When barley is sown, 

 late it is sometimes steeped in common water to promote its germination ; but it is seldom 

 pickled or otherwise prepared. The advantages of steeping are procuring an equal ger- 

 mination, and consequently ripening and getting the start of weeds. The following 

 directions are given for performing the operation. First, take out about one-third of the 

 contents of the sacks of seed barley or bear to allow for the swelling of the grain ; lay 

 the sacks with the grain to steep in clean water ; let it be covered with it for at least 

 twenty-four hours ; when the ground is very dry, and no likelihood of rain for ten 

 days, it is better to lie thirty-six hours ; sow the grain wet from steeping without any 

 addition : the seed will scatter well as clean water has no tenacity ; only the sower must 

 put in a fourth or a third more seed in bulk than is usual of dry grain , as the grain is 

 swelled in that proportion ; harrow it in as quickly as possible after it is sown ; and 

 though not necessary, give it the benefit of a fresh furrow if convenient. You may expect 

 it up in a fortnight at farthest. {Brown. ) 



4677. The quantity of seed is different in different Cases, according to the quality of the 

 Soil and other circumstances. Upon very rich lands, eight pecks per acre are sometimes 

 sown ; twelve is very common ; and upon poor land, more is sometimes given. Among the 

 %)est farmers, it seeVns a disputed point whether the practice of giving so small a quantity of 

 eed to the best lands is advantageous. That there is a saving of grain there can be no 



