200 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



valier is gradually growing in repute, more being grown 

 now than formerly, even although the quantity per acre is 

 not so satisfactory as other varieties; but it "is highly 

 esteemed for malting purposes, and therefore commands the 

 highest price. Barley in these districts is sometimes sown 

 after fallow, this being where the soil is rather a " strong 

 clay." In autumn the land is left in a rough and cloddy 

 state from the plough ; and the seed is sown upon this as 

 early after February as possible, and then dragged or 

 scuffled in without further preparation. Simple as this 

 plan appears, Mr. Keary states the crops produced by it to 

 be very good, and inclines to the belief that possibly for 

 such soils it is the best that can be adopted. In some dis- 

 tricts of the southern counties the turnip-land is ploughed 

 up as soon as it is dry, well worked twice with the drag- 

 harrow or with the scarifier, and then the seed is drilled at 

 the rate of three bushels to the acre. The common sort of 

 barley is generally used, the Chevalier not being there a 

 favourite in consequence of the low quantity of its yield. 

 In Herefordshire, which is celebrated for the fineness of 

 its barley crops, the best crops are grown upon the light 

 soils which have a chalk subsoil. Generally these lands 

 are ploughed only once, the seed being sown in March or 

 April. On the stronger lands of this country, fine malting 

 samples c^uld not be obtained from the old Common bar- 

 ley sown ; now, however, this difficulty is obviated by the 

 use of the Chevalier variety. 



11. Although the barley crop is one which delights in a 

 genial warmth of soil and of climate, nevertheless we find 

 its extension very marked in what one would suppose to 

 be the apparently (for barley) ungenial districts of the York- 

 shire and Lincolnshire wolds, with their somewhat northern 

 districts; but good farming has overcome the difficulties 

 arising from this circumstance, and the barley grown in 

 these districts equals, if it does not excel, that of other and 

 more favoured places. The white turnip is generally grown 

 in these northern districts, the crop being fed off either par- 

 tially or wholly by sheep; if swedes are grown, they are 



