BARLEY. 



the grain of the latter ia seldom so 

 heavy as that which has stood the 

 winter. 



The Siberian barley, a variety of 

 which, with naked seeds, has been 

 highly extolled by foreisrn agricultural 

 writers, especially by Tliacr, under 

 the name of Hordeum calcstc, seems 

 to be a superior sort in rich soils, not 

 only for its heavy and nutritious grain, 

 in which particulars it is said to ap- 

 proach to the quality of rye, but also 

 for its succulent stems and leaves, 

 which make it by far the best sort to 

 sow for the purpose of green food for 

 cattle and sheep ; and if fed off early 

 the roots will, in a rich soil, shoot out 

 an abundance of fresh stems, and pro- 

 duce a good crop of grain at harvest. 



The barley most commonly culti- 

 vated is that which has oidy two 

 rows. It is almost universally sown 

 in spring. 



Particular varieties have been in 

 great repute at different times, when 

 first introduced, and then seem to 

 have degenerated and lost their su- 

 periority. Of this kind is the Molda- 

 vian barley. This barley was much 

 sought after some years ago ; and 

 lately the Chevalier barley (Fig. 3), 

 so called from the gentleman who 

 first brought it into notice. It is said 

 that, having observed an ear of bar- 

 ley in his field greatly superior to the 

 rest, he carefully saved the seed, and 

 cultivated it in his garden till he had 

 a sufficient quantity to sow it in a 

 field. It has since been extremely 

 multiplied and diffused through the 

 country. Some eminent maltsters 

 and brewers have declared that it 

 contains more saccharine matter than 

 any other sort ; and the trials hither- 

 to made have convinced many agri- 

 culturists that it is not only heavier 

 in the grain, but also more produc- 

 tive. In 1832, Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, 

 who was always foremost in all agri- 

 cultural experiments and iinprove- 

 ments, sowed a considerable portion 

 of land with this barley, and the re- 

 sult is said to have been perfectly 

 satisfactory. In the year 1833 the 

 writer of this article sowed two acres 

 of Chevalier barley in the same field 



60 



fig- 3. 



[Chevalier Barley.] 



with some of the best of the common 

 barley. The soil was poor, light sand, 

 but in good order, and very clean. 

 The produce of the whole was nearly 

 the same, four quarters per acre ; but 

 the Chevalier barley weighed 57 lbs. 

 per bushel, while the common weigh- 

 ed only 52. This gives the farmer 

 an advantage of nearly ten per cent. 

 The sample was very fine, and the 

 whole that he could spare was eager- 

 ly purchased by his neighbours, for 

 seed, at his own price. It is long in 

 the ear and very plump, and the plants 



