THE TIME OF SOWING BARLEY. 193 



ing, but afford due time for perfect ripening. The very 

 best quality of seed that can be procured should in any 

 case be used." 



6. The time of or period for sowing the barley crop is an- 

 other important part of its economy, and one to which the 

 attention of the careful farmer is now more directed than 

 ever. In many districts it is, as a rule, sown too late ; and 

 in connection with any crop it may be laid down as an 

 axiom, the later the sowing the poorer the yield. The 

 celebrated Arthur Young was amongst the first to point 

 out the value of early sowing of barley ; and the following 

 is a statement of the results of some experiments of his to 

 determine the point. Barley sown in February yielded 

 12^, in March 11J, April 8|, May 6J, in June 3th. 

 We have said the later the period of sowing the 

 poorer the yield ; this may, however, be taken with this 

 reservation or addition the later the period after a cer- 

 tain date ; only it is difficult to name what this date is. 

 Locality, climate, the peculiar nature of the season, will all 

 bear upon the decision of this point, and varying as they 

 do, will of necessity introduce such disturbing elements 

 into practice, that it will be difficult to lay down a rule 

 which will be applicable to all districts ; nor, indeed, one 

 which, if shown applicable to a certain district one season 

 can be applicable in the same district at another season. 

 In truth, in connection with this important point, as in 

 fact with many other points of agricultural practice, little 

 is left us but conjecture by none of our agricultural 

 societies has the determination of this question, by accu- 

 rately comparative experiments, been taken up. Conjecture, 

 however, is all in favour of early sowing say, from the 

 beginning of March to that of April, and all sowings after 

 the latter date may in favourable districts be set down as 

 risky. It would be well for the interests of agriculture if 

 our Scientific Associations were to take up now and then 

 the consideration of questions other than those which 

 seem alone now to occupy their attention and engross their 

 cares, and this to which we have now alluded might very 



