144 THE COMPLETE FARMER 



roan ; ty the ears beginning to droop, and bend themselves 

 round against the stems ; and by the stalks becoming brittle, 

 and of a yellowish color. This is the particular period for 

 cutting, as, if suffered to stand longer, the heads break off, 

 and the grain wastes with the slightest touch. And it may 

 be cut with the cradle, sickle, or scythe, according to cir- 

 cums^^ances. If it stands straight, and is not too heavy, the 

 cradle is to be preferred ; if heavy, or lodged, the sickle or 

 scythe. But as the grain 's yet soft, and the straw contains 

 much moisture when it ought to be cut, it should be suffer- 

 ed to become well dried in the swath before it is bound in 

 sheaves, or carried to the barn or stack. If cut with the 

 cradle or sickle, it is bound in sheaves ; but the more com- 

 mon practice is to cut the crop with the scythe, rake the 

 ground, and load it with the barley fork. 



' Barley improves for malting by lying till October before 

 it is threshed ; though it is often threshed immediately from 

 the field. The great difficulty in preparing it for market is 

 to rid it of the awns. This may be done with flails, after it 

 has passed once throuorh the fanning mill ; and, where it is 

 in great quantities, it may be spread from four to six inches 

 upon the barn floor, and trodden with horses. 



' Produce and Profits. The average product in England 

 is stated by Donaldson at thiriy-two bushels per acre. The 

 product in New York varies from fifteen to seventy bushels, 

 according to season and soil ; ard I think the average is 

 somewhat short of that of Great Britain. Compared with 

 wheat, its product is as two or two and a half to one ; com- 

 pared with oats, about equal, provided the soil is adapted to 

 this grain. It is, however, to be remembered, that neither 

 wheat nor oats are adapted to a barley soil ; the first re- 

 quiring a more stiff and tenacious and the latter a more cold 

 and moist location. The average price of barley is at least 

 two-thiras that of wheat. Supposing wheat, then, to be one 

 dollar and twelve cents the bushel, and the product fifteen 

 bushels per acre, and barley to be seventy-five cents, and 

 the product of an acre thirty bushels, and the expense of cul- 

 tivation equal, the profits of the barley will be nearly as three 

 to two compared to wheat. Barley, besides, is a less preca- 

 rious crop, is subject to fewer diseases, and has fewer insect 

 enemies to encounter than wheat.' 



A correspondent of the Bath Agricultural society writes, 

 ' The last spring being remarkably dry, I soaked my seed 

 barley in the black water taken from a reservoir, which 



