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MARCH. 



BARLEY. 



THIS is the proper month for getting seed-barley 

 into the ground. Crops later sown may be very bene- 

 ficial, but, if all circumstances were equal, the March- 

 sown would be superior to any at a later season, 

 which is here the comparative point of consequence. 

 This grain is sown after various preparations. Tur- 

 nips are the most common, which root will not 

 last for feeding any cattle, with propriety, upon the 

 average of seasons, longer than the beginning of 

 this month : so that the turnip-land barley must be 

 sown on one earth, or the season be absolutely lost ; 

 for April and May sowings are inferior. I am not here 

 asserting, that April is a month improper for sowing 

 barley, I know the contrary from experience ; but 

 if soil, ploughinga, manuring, water-furrowing, &c. 

 are equal, a March-sowing will exceed an April 

 one, on an average of several years, by four bushels 

 in the crop. Saying, therefore, that barleys in cer- 

 tain places, sown in April and May, yield great 

 crops, is saying little, unless it be added at the 

 same time, what parallel success other crops had 

 sown in March. Neither do I venture to insinuate, 

 that all March-sown crops will be successful. One 

 great point in putting in most crops, but barley par- 

 ticularly, is to have the land dry. March may pass 

 away without a single ploughing season for wet 



lands 



