BARLEY AND OATS. 107 



versal experience of English farmers, and the direc- 

 tions of the best works on agriculture, go to estai)- 

 lish the fact, that less seed is i-equired on rich lands 

 than on poor ; and that the quantity of seed used 

 should be increased in proportion to the lateness of 

 the sowing. In European countries, from ten to 

 eighteen pecks per acre are used — sixteen being the 

 Quantity usually recommended : in this country, 

 from two to three bushels to the acre are considered 

 sufficient. The two-rowed requires less than the 

 six-rowed, as it tillers more vigorously ; and, if sown 

 too thick, the plants will be weak and ripen irregu- 

 larly. 



Both the quantity and quality of the product de- 

 pend on the soil and on the variety of the grain 

 sown. In this country, the average crop may be 

 stated from thirty to thirty-five bushels per acre : 

 in England, the average produce is estimated 'at 

 thirty-two bushels. Middleton says the crop in that 

 country varies from fifteen to seventy-five bushels 

 an acre. The greatest crop we have seen mention- 

 ed in this country was sixty-five bushels per acre, 

 and that was grown on land from which several 

 crops had been taken in succession. In an experi- 

 ment made by the East Lothian Agricultural Socie- 

 ty upon the Chevalier and a common sort of barley, 

 both sown on a light gravelly soil, the produce of 

 each per irhperial acre was, Chevalier, 65 bushels 

 2 pecks of grain, weighing 56 3-4 lbs. per bushel. 

 Common barley gave 61 bushels 22 pecks of grain, 

 and weighed 54 3-4 lbs. per bushel. 



Good qualities of the two-rowed ^vill average 

 about 52 or 53 lbs. per bushel ; but the winter or six- 

 rowed varieties will not exceed 43 to 46 lbs. The 

 difference in malting is great ; the experiments of 

 Dr. Smith showing that a Wiuchester quarter* of 

 the several varieties, when malted, would produce 

 the following quantities of proof spirits, viz. 

 * Eight bushels. 



