OF CROPS USUALLY CULTIVATED. 267 



than from barley, (to the amount, it is said, of 20per cent.}, 

 though this circumstance is probably overlooked by the 

 farmer, as he generally sows the latter on his best land. On 

 tolerable farms, the inferior land tvill yield nearly as much 

 bear, as the best will barley ; and had bear been substituted 

 on the latter, the produce would have been much greater. 

 But on ordinary land, yielding a tolerable crop of bear, 

 there will be a considerable deficiency of barley.* How 

 unfortunate it is, that the culture of so useful a crop should 



* Mr Grierson, late corn-merchant in Leith, who had much experience 

 and knowledge in the corn-trade, transmitted to me some observations 

 on the subject of feeding of horses with bear. He was of opinion, that 

 bear was better for feeding horses than barley, and better than oats for 

 horses, not much wrought, in dry countries, but not so good as oats in 

 wet countries, or in wet roads, where horses require more heating food.-j- 

 Horses, however, are fed to most advantage with beans and oats, ground 

 as small as malt. It is hardly to be conceived, the difference of the ease 

 to a hard-wrought horse, who has ground meal to eat, and one that has 

 his oats to eat whole, as he has not half the time to rest, as the one that 

 has ground corn, and cannot perform the same labour, or last so long. 

 This is a most important consideration where so many horses are neces- 

 sary for agriculture ; and a very trifling expence would add a grinding- 

 raachine to the threshing-mills, for all the corn necessary for feeding the 

 horses and pijfs on a farm. That bear is not more cultivated, and in high- 

 er request, he was convinced, was owing more to prejudice than any thing 

 else ; for it is well known, that it produces more seeds than barley, and 

 is less injurious to the ground ; and may be sown for twenty years on the 

 same ground in succession, without either lessening the produce, or im- 

 paring the quality, provided the land is fallowed before winter, and twice 

 ploughed before sowing, with a sprinkling of dung or sea-ware. It is 

 very seldom more than ten weeks on the ground in favourable situations, 

 and barley never less than fourteen. 



+ According to this remark, big would be the best food for horses in 

 England and Scotland, during the summer season, which would be a great 

 point to establish. 



