384 THK FARMKRS' HANDBOOK. 



Improvement of the Crop. 



A prime sample of barley is high in starch and low in nitrogen, so that it 

 is not a difficult matter to increase the yield of this crop since proteids, which 

 are expensive to produce, do not enter largely into its composition. A start 

 should be made just before harvesting the crop in selecting a number of 

 vigorous, healthy plants. The seed of these should be bagged, and sown again 

 next season in a small plof , as described in methods of wheat improvement. 

 This plan will result in increased yields, as well as smut-free crops ; a stock of 

 high-class seed can soon be raised in this way, and the grower will be well 

 repaid for his trouble. In Wisconsin the average yield of pedigree barley for 

 six years, as produced by the members of the Wisconsin Experiment Associa- 

 tion, is given as 34 bushels per acre, as against 29 3 bushels with other varieties. 

 Pedigree barley at the Experiment Station yielded an average of 44 - 8 bushels 

 per acre over five years, while common barley grown by Wisconsin 

 farmers averaged, for the same period, 27'7 bushels. Mr. Beaven, in his 

 barley experiments at Warminster, England, when testing a variety of 

 barley, grows it in alternate short rows with a standard sort, twelve seeds 

 to each row, and the total number of rows would be about 100. Each pair 

 of rows is considered as a separate experiment, so that the average of a large 

 number of results is taken, affording a reliable conclusion as to the relative 

 value of the two varieties. When harvesting, the eight central plants of 

 each row are weighed. 



Some artificial crossing with barleys has been done by the Department, 

 but with the exception of Malebo, abovementioned, and Cowra 37 — a cross 

 between Kinver and wild barley which is still being tested and appears 

 promising — nothing of any particular value has been secured as yet. A 

 beardless barley with fairly strong straw would be valuable for fodder. 



Disadvantages. 



There are certain, drawbacks to barley-growing, the chief of which is the 

 fluctuation in price. When there is a good season and a full supply the 

 merchants cut down the price, which is not regulated as in, the case of wheat 

 by the world's market, but has a purely local value. An export trade would 

 relieve such a state of affairs, also the more extended use of barley as a food 

 for farm animals ; it is becoming more popular in America for this purpose. 

 Damage by unfavourable weather occurs in some seasons, causing a big drop 

 in prices ; rain at harvest time discolours the seed, and is more apt to cause 

 lodging of the crop than in the case of wheat. The harvesting of barley 

 demands more care and attention than need be given to wheat. ; cracked or 

 chipped grains are very objectionable. Although, as Professor Perkins says, 

 the farmer who grows barley is not compelled to advertise the fact in his 

 wheat fields, the mixing of wheat with barley grain is found a source of 

 trouble on some farms. This can be overcome by proper management, as 

 stated under the heading "Rotation." The fact that barley is subject ' to 

 ■'Foot-rot" disease is rather against its inclusion in a rotation with wheat. 

 Tf field-peas or rape be grown, however, it could be profitably included 

 though hardly with the same success as oats, which are comparatively 

 resistant to this disease. 



