156 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. yi. 



Both barley and wheat, although the latter 

 in its crude state weighs one-fifth more than 

 the former, and costs half as much again, yet 

 appear, when boiled, to have filled exactly the 

 same measure, and the same number of fowls 

 consumed precisely the same quantity of both 

 when boiled. No profit was, therefore, ob- 

 tained from the boiling, in point of economy ; 

 but there might be some advantage in regard 

 to fattening ; for, although the fowls could 

 not be induced to eat more of the wheat, it 

 would yet aflbrd them greater nourishment. 



Barley, it however appears, can be pro- 

 fitably boiled ; for the fowls which daily ate 

 tioo measures of it when raw, only consumed 

 three measures when boiled : so that, as four 

 measures, of any size, when raw, produce ten 

 measures when boiled, there is an evident 

 saving of two-fifths in the consumption of the 

 grain. Those fowls, however, which ate three 

 measures a day of boiled barley, only ate the 

 same quantity of boiled Indian corn, which 

 being heavier, though not dearer, than barley, 

 is therefore the cheaper of the two. The 

 trouble is nothing, for there is always a fire 

 in the kitchen, and the grain may be heated 



