CULTURE OF BARLEY. 



235 



represented by 47, 32 and 24, the mrasure beinjT the same. It is considered by 

 our fanners, by measure, to be about halfway betwecQ oals and corn, in its nu- 

 tritious properties — perhaps rather nearer the corn than would be indicated by 

 sucii middle point. 



1 have fed it to all kinds of farm stock, and like it for all, excepting carriage- 

 horses. For these, oats are preferable. Eut for draught-horses, oxen, cows, 

 young cattle, sheep and swine, it forms an excellent feed. I prefer it to corn for 

 draught-horses, and also for other kinds of stock, excepting swine, where the ob- 

 ject is not directly to fatten for slaughter. I prefer it, because I consider it less 

 stimulating and less cloying. For fattening swine, nothing can exceed corn ; 

 but barley is beginning to be used quite as generally for that purpose in this re- 

 gion. Very fat hogs eat it better toward the last than they do corn. No differ- 

 ence can be detected in the pork made from the two grains. 



10. Preparation.— li should be ground for all kinds of stock. Some soak it 

 soft and feed it uuground, but it is poor economy. The meal is fed dry to horses 

 and sheep : mixed wiih water or milk, and i'ermeuted until it acquires a sweet 

 taste, to swine ; and either dry or cooked, to cattle. 



11. Product per acre and Price compared with other Grains. — In my answer 

 to Mr, Walker's " Treasury Circular " (in 1845), I submitted the following ta- 

 bles, which I believe to be essentially correct, and Avhich include iriost of the in- 

 formation you desire under this head : 



Indian Corn . . 

 Spring Wlicat 



Barley 



Oats 



Cost per acre. 



Avpraee num- 

 ber of bushels 

 per acre. 



$15 

 9 

 9 



30 



1-2 

 28 

 38 



Average value 



of stalks or 



straw. 



$5 00 

 1 00 

 1 25 

 1 25 



Tutal value, es- 

 tiinatin:» grain 



at average 

 prices for the 

 last five vears. 



$-30 00 



12 40 



13 29 

 10 18 • 



Net profit per 

 acre. 



$5 00 



3 40 



4 29 

 3 18 



AVERAGE PRICES OF GRAIN'S FOR FOURTEEN YEARS. 



* The prices of 1845 estimated up to the 15th of October. 



It will be understood that the average product above stated includes every va- 

 riety of land and cultivation. My own crops of barley have averaged not less 

 than 38 or 40 bushels per acre for ten years, and I have raised 65 bushels per 

 acre in some cases. 



12. Miscellaneous Remarks. — Having replied to your questions seriatim, I will, 

 in pursuance of your request, make such other suggestions as occur to me, which 

 I think would prove useful to those unacquainted with the nature and culture 

 of barley. 



Climate. — Barley is cultivated and comes to perfection in a greater variety of 

 climates than any other grain. 



Mijcingit with other Crops. — The two-rowed barley is frequently sown mixed 

 v.'ith oats, and in some instances Avith flax. I have tried both. They do very 

 well together, but on the whole I prefer separate sowing. 



Effect of Barley on Soils. — Barley is generally considered a less exhausting 

 crop than oats. Such is my impression, but I am not able to adduce any de-- 

 «isive proof. 



(475) 



