PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE. 87 



deum Caeleste (naked barley). The former is pre- 

 ferred in England, and, as we believe, in France. 

 M. Parmentier ascribes to it all the good qualities of 

 the other species, and much greater productiveness.* 



Of the latter species, the nations of the north who 

 are most in the habit of using barley as the basis 

 both of food and drink, speak highly. f But among 

 us, who cultivate it only for the last purpose, this 

 species has less credit, and is even considered the 

 worst from a belief that, after being dried, it malts 

 imperfectly or with difficulty. 



Though not so nice in relation to soil as either 

 wheat or rye, still barley prefers a loose, warm, and 

 moist, though not wet, soil, and even grows re- 

 markably well in sand (where we have sowed it), in 

 succession to turnips, either ploughed into the 

 ground or consumed on the field. 



Other things being equal, the spring crops which 

 are first sowed give the best and largest products. 

 The moment, therefore, that your soil is sufficient- 

 ly dry, begin ploughing, and at a depth not less than 

 six inches, since the roots of barley enter the 

 earth more deeply than those of any of the other 

 cereal graminae. If the soil be well pulverized [as 

 it ought to be after turnips], a second ploughing 

 would be a waste of time and money :J proceed, 

 therefore, to sow your barley broadcast,^ and cov- 



* He states it to be double as much. 



f " Hordeum caeleste Norvegis gratissimum, quoniam cere- 

 visiam generosam, praebeit." The naked barley, most grateful 

 to the Norwegians, as affording to them their generous beer. 

 Mitterpacher, Elemen. rei rust., page 312. 



J The Romans had two maxims on the subject of expense, 



which it would be wise in us to adopt : " Those profits are to be 



preferred which cost the least ;" and again, " Nothing is less 



-'profitable than very high cultivation." " Nihil minus expedire, 



* "quarn agram optime colere." 



$ Mr. Young's experiments show that there is something in 

 the constitution or habits of this grain to which the drill or row 

 husbandry is not accommodated. Even isolated grains weeded 

 and hoed, did not do better than the same number in broad cast. 



