104 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



Chevalier Barley. 



Has Chevalier barley more value to feed hens for egg production than 

 common feed barley or wheat? 



Chevalier barley is no better for chicken feed than any other 

 barley which is equally large and plump. Brewers like Chevalier 

 because of its fullness of starch to support the malting process; 

 also, because it is bright, that is, white, and not stained or tinged 

 with bluish or reddish colors. Color points do not count for chicken 

 feed, but good plump kernels do. Besides this, however, darker 

 kernel (not chaff) usually indicates more protein, and therefore a 

 darker kernel of either wheat or barley might be more valuable 

 for feeding. A hard, horny kernel is richer than a softer, more 

 starchy one, either in wheat or barley. 



Barley on Moist Land. 



What zvould you do ivith land subject to overfloiv by the Sacramento 

 when that river rises 20 feet, and which you wanted to plant to barley 

 this season? Would you take a chance on the river rising that high this 

 year, or zvait until after that danger u'as over, and take a chance on not 

 getting enough rain to make the grain come up; also, if the river did 

 come up for 48 hours after the grain zvas in, but did not ivash, zvould the 

 grain be lost? Should the graiti be planted deeper than on ordinary land, 

 and, if so, should a drill be used? Hozv much seed should be sozvn per 

 acre on good river-bottom soil? 



Get the barley in and watch for the overflow rather than to 

 fear it. An overflow for 48 hours would give you the greatest crop 

 you ever saw, unless it should be in a settling basin and the water 

 forced to escape by evaporation. From your description we judge 

 that this is not so and that the land clears itself quickly from an 

 overflow. Depth of sowing depends upon the character and con- 

 dition of the soil — the lighter and drier the deeper. By all means 

 use a drill if the soil is dry on the surface. Short rainfall makes 

 the advantage of drill seeding most conspicuous. On the University 

 Farm 22 trials gave an average gain of over 10 per cent in yield. 

 The difference would be much greater in a dry year; it might be 

 25 per cent greater, possibly, and save high-priced seed at the same 

 time, as about 90 pounds of seed per acre will do, instead of 120 

 pounds broadcast, in accordance with the approved heavy seeding 

 practice on the river lands. 



Barley and Alfalfa. 



I have some alfalfa which is a poor stand. Can I disc it up heavily 

 and seed in some barley for zvinter pasture? 



You can get barley into your alfalfa as you propose, but you 

 should not seed until fall. The more barley you get into your 

 alfalfa, however, the less alfalfa you will have afterward. If you 

 want to improve your afalfa, keep everything else out of the field 

 and help the plants by regular irrigations during the balance of the 

 growing season. 



