EFFECT OF SEASON UPON QUALITY 85 



the yield of the barley crop is very dependent on the supply of 

 minerals, especially of phosphoric acid, and the table now 

 under consideration shows that the same effect extends to the 

 quality of the crop. The use of superphosphate on Plots 2 as 

 compared with Plots 1 gives a better proportion of grain to 

 straw, a higher weight per bushel, and a greatly increased 

 value ; similarly, the omission of superphosphate on Plots 3 as 

 compared with Plots 4 results in a deterioration of all the 

 qualities making for value in the barley. Comparing the 

 barley from Plots 3 and Plots 1, in the absence of super- 

 phosphate the potash salts on Plots 3 do not effect much 

 improvement, though their presence on Plots 4 as compared 

 with Plots 2 results in an improved quality. The presence of 

 potash in the manure increases the straw more than the grain. 

 In all the series it will be seen that Plots 3 and 4, receiving 

 potash, give a lower proportion of grain to straw than do Plots 

 1 and 2, without potash. 



If we compare the series together, the rape cake gives 

 better barleys than either ammonium- salts or nitrate of soda, 

 but the sample which on the average is the best is that grown 

 with the full minerals and ammonium-salts. 



Table XXXV. gives a comparison of the crop of grain and 

 straw, the weight per bushel of the grain, and the proportion 

 of grain to straw, in 1893, a typically dry and hot year, and in 

 1894, a wet but free-growing year. 



The amount of grain produced is not dissimilar in the two 

 years, but 1894 grew very much more straw, the average 

 proportion of grain to straw being only about 70 as 

 against 90 in the dry season. The weight per bushel 

 of the grain is also higher, averaging 557 Ib. in the dry 

 year 1893 as against 52*5 Ib. in the wet year 1894. In the 

 dry year the plot receiving farmyard manure had a very great 

 advantage, and grew 25 per cent, more than the other completely 

 manured plots ; whereas in the wet season when it gave about 

 its average crop, several- others gave almost as much, and it was 

 actually excelled by the plot receiving nitrate of soda and 



