BARLEY. 2^1 



however, without a mixture of inferior soils of several 

 varieties. It is in West Norfollc, as in many other dis- 

 trifls, the best land is where the soils change ; between 

 chalk and clay, between sand and clay, &c. there is 

 usually a breadth of mellow loam of good quality. The 

 crops of barley are generally good on tolerable land. Di- 

 viding West Norfolk into two districSls, one of 5s. and the 

 other of 10s. ; the first vising in trades to 7s. 6d. and fall- 

 ing to 3s. 6d. : the other rising to 15s. and falling to 8s. ; 

 and I should average the barley of the former at six coombs, 

 and of the latter at ten. I have considered this point un- 

 der many corredtions, and do not think it far from the 

 truth : and I am of opinion that if the land was managed 

 in an inferior stile, the poorer distrifls would not produce 

 four : nor the richer more than seven. 



The greatness of Mr. Salter's barley (1802) mav 

 be easily conceived from this circumstance : he set 18 men 

 to mow 18 acres, they worked all day, 22 men all the 

 next day, and 18 men till nine o'clock the third day. 

 There were about 120 loads of it, forming a stack 28 

 yards long. 



They have a whimsical term about Holkham to denote 

 a good crop ; they call it hat barley : if a man throws his 

 hat into a crop it rests on the surface if good ; but falls to 

 the ground if bad. <' All, Sir, is hat barley since the drill 

 came." 



About Watton seven coombs on an average : I saw 

 much in a good season that produced ten and twelve. 



Average at Langley, on fine loamy and gravelly sands, 

 ten coombs an acre. 



Caistor, and average of Fleg, eleven coombs ; sixteen 

 have been known. 



Hemsby, five quarters ; but some h'ght land and open 

 ^eld : sixteen have been known. 



Thrigby 



