AND OF THEIR VARIETIES. 15 



3. Barley affects a lighter soil, but the quality of the grain 

 varies with the natural dryness, the drainage, or the quality of 

 the land ; and the maltster, the feeder, or the pot-barley maker, 

 buy it accordingly. Yet, in regard to the physical condition of 

 the soil, different varieties have different tendencies. The cheva- 

 lier barley grows on clays on which the Annat one of our 

 best varieties does not succeed ; and this is probably one reason 

 why the chevalier barley has spread so widely, and yields good 

 crops even on the Huntingdon clays. Some varieties show a 

 great indifference as to the physical nature or condition of the 

 soil, while others are most choice in their selection of a suitable 

 soil. Thus the Annat variety, already mentioned, not only 

 dislikes a clay, but a gravelly soil also, and thrives best on a 

 dark-coloured loam. 



4. Rice grows usually on low alluvial flooded tracts of land, 

 and abundance of water at the earlier stages of its existence are 

 in most cases a necessary of life to this plant. But there are 

 varieties of hill rice which grow healthily, and ripen on dry 

 land. This difference, though a little more striking, is, in 

 reality, not more remarkable or deserving of attention than the 

 constitutional differences above mentioned in regard to barley. 



5. The Turnip. -The numerous varieties of turnip so gene- 

 rally known in this country, differ little less in habit, and ten- 

 dency, and choice of soil, and power of resisting the effects of 

 climate, than varieties of grain do. It is essentially favoured 

 by a cold and humid climate. Hence it is a less profitable 

 culture in our southern counties, and yields less abundant crops 

 along our eastern borders. The yellow and the white varieties 

 differ greatly in nutritive value and in climatic habits. Of 

 white turnips, again, varieties differ. Thus the white stone 

 comes quicker to maturity than the white globe ; so that what 

 is fitted to nourish and bring forward the one will not promote 

 the growth of the other in an equal degree, or cause it in the 

 same month of the year to yield an equal crop. In different 

 districts, also, and under different treatment, the same variety is 

 differently nutritive a circumstance of much importance in all 

 experiments on feeding. 



The turnip is also liable to special attacks from insects, and 



