118 OUK FARM CROPS. 



constantly changing his seed, and of sowing rather early, 

 and the occupier of No. 2 systematically never changing 

 his seed, and sowing rather late. The quality of the barley 

 grown upon No. 1, in the year referred to, was remarkably 

 good; and upon No. 2 it was so very inferior as to be 

 quite unsaleable for any but the most common purposes ; 

 and 2s. per bushel, or 16s. per quarter, was the difference 

 in the price these barleys fetched at several times during 

 that season, on the same day and at the same market. 

 The produce per acre was also very much greater on farm 

 No. 1." This probably was an extreme case; but it serves 

 to strengthen the policy of a judicious change of seed, by 

 illustrating the wide difference which may exist between 

 the barley produce of one farm where this has been 

 attended to, and of another where home-grown seed alone 

 is used. 



The preparation of the soil has already been alluded 

 to the object to be obtained being a fine tilth. When 

 barley follows turnips fed off on the land, it is de- 

 sirable to keep the plough as close behind the sheep as 

 possible, as the sooner the manure is covered up by the 

 plough, the better it becomes mixed in the soil. In wet 

 seasons and on argillaceous soils the surface is apt to be- 

 come poached and wet, and is frequently materially injured 

 by the sheep being left on it in that condition. In such 

 case it is far better to leave it until it becomes dry again 

 before ploughing, than to touch it in such a state, as, if 

 ploughed up then, it is well-nigh impossible to get the de- 

 sired tilth, and a large portion of the manure is rendered 

 inaccessible, by being shut up in the lumpy masses of the 

 soil. Generally speaking, it will be found beneficial either 

 to give the land a light furrow a second time, or else to run 

 the scarifiers through it and across it. This, where the land 

 has been ploughed at several different times, equalizes the 

 condition of the surface, and at the same time disperses and 



