230 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



mate. Three kinds are grown in California the common, 

 the Nepaul, and the chevalier. The Nepaul and chevalier are 

 cultivated to a small extent, the latter chiefly for pearl barley, 

 of which a little is made in the country. The yield of the 

 chevalier is from ten to twenty per cent, less than that of the 

 common barley. 



The sowing commences with the first heavy rain, which 

 comes in some years as early as the first of November, and 

 continues to the first of April. The ground used for small 

 grain bakes hard during the heat and drought of summer and 

 autumn ; and ploughing is not possible until the rain comes, 

 and rain enough to wet the earth thoroughly, at least six 

 inches deep. The ploughs are then set to work immediately, 

 running from four to eight inches deep. One ploughing is 

 usually considered sufficient. The grain is sown according to 

 convenience, soon after the ploughing, or after the lapse of 

 weeks, and is immediately harrowed in. The amount of seed 

 sown to the acre varies from a bushel and a half to two bush- 

 els. The sowing is usually done broadcast, but some farmers 

 prefer the drill. Early sowing gives the best yield, if the 

 winter rains be light ; but when the rains are abundant, the 

 late sown fields are the best. There is always danger that 

 small grain in California, if sown early, will get more rain 

 than it wants. The same barley is sown early and late ; our 

 farmers do not know anything of " winter barley" as dis- 

 tinct from "spring barley " a division familiar in the Atlan- 

 tic States. 



The harvest precedes that of wheat : commencing in the 

 Sacramento basin early in June, and in the Coast valleys late 

 in the same month. The grain is all cut with reaping ma- 

 chines, and is never housed, but is threshed on the field, with 

 or without stacking. Sometimes it is bound ; frequently it is 

 gathered in a tight wagon- bed, and hauled into a pile in the 

 center of the field, where it remains until the threshing machine 

 can come. The rarity of rain from June to October renders 



