TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION M. 7173 
In 1806 Danish Prentice Barley (proved best in Denmark and since found to 
be identical with Archer) was introduced. Hallett’s was dropped owing to 
weak straw. There were twelve centres in seven counties. Wanish Archer 
proved best, Irish Archer, Goldthorpe, and Scotch Chevallier following in the 
order named. ‘I'he superiority of Archer barley aiter fitty-one tests during six 
years—its value per acre being 12s. above the next best, Goldthorpe—appeared 
manifest. 
in 1907 the scheme of field plots was made to test Irish Archer barley further 
against Danish Archer, and also the possible deterioration of either by con- 
tinuous growing in Ireland. Irish Archer raised from ears selected by hand in 
1904 was compared with Danish Archer grown in Ireland in 1906 and witn 
freshly imported Danish and English Archer. Both Danish Archers proved 
equal. lrisn Archer showed improvement by selection, beng very little below 
Danish. Knglish Archer showed impurity, and was lower in yield than the 
others. Subsequent Irish experiments have confirmed the conclusions that pro- 
ductivity is improved by selection and that quality and yield are not affected 
by continuous growing in the same climate. 
During these eight years both good and bad seasons were experienced, but 
the detinite and consistent results obtained, causing the introduction of Archer 
barley for general use in Ireland, have brought about remarkable benefits. The 
quality of the barley has been improved in every way, a much larger proportion 
is available for malting and the yield per acre has also been increased. 
(iii) Barley-growing in Ireland.~ By H. Hunrer. 
A description of the earlier experiments in barley-growing in Ireland and 
their results having been dealt with by Mr. Bennett, this paper was intended 
to describe the character and general results of selection and other later investi- 
gations. 
It has been shown that Archer and Goldthorpe are more desirable varieties for 
cultivation in Ireland than those in general use prior to 1901. There are strong 
indications that while Archer is a more profitable barley on light land when 
judged over a series of years, Goldthorpe is best suited to heavier soils. Further, 
Goldthorpe is an earlier, and consequently on heavy soils and in most, but 
especially late seasons, a safer variety to cultivate. 
In point of quality Archer and Goldthorpe proved superior to the barleys in 
cultivation, and an attempt was made to show how the standard of quality has 
been improved concomitantly with that of yield. 
Before the introduction of Danish Archer into Ireland in 1906 the stock of 
Archer under experiment was the heaviest yielding variety of any of those that 
had been tested; the former barley, however, not only proved more prolific 
than the strain of Archer in use, but exhibited a more even growth and 
ripening in the field, and greater evenness in size and quality of grain. 
Primarily, as a result of the difficulty in obtaining pure seed for field trials 
and the consequent unevenness of the crop when growing, selection experiments 
were commenced in 1904, and seed raised from ‘group’ selected seed and from 
single ears. The effect of these selections on the character of corn crops is dealt 
with, as also is the influence on the quality of the grain. 
A characteristic of Archer of some disadvantage is its habit of late ripening. 
Attempts have been made to select a strain which is earlier ripening, and an 
account of these is given. 
The field plots on which the earlier variety trials were conducted were two 
acres each in extent, sufficiently large to provide material for the malting trials 
conducted by Messrs. Guinness. In 1908 they were reduced to one acre, and 
have been continued at that figure ever since. 
The rapid multiplication of distinct pure lines and hybrids necessitates an 
easier and less expensive method of initial quantitative testing. A system of 
small scale variety testing, in which each plot is one square yard, and repeated 
a large number of times, has been in operation at Ballinacurra for the past two 
years. These small scale plots not only yield general results of an extremely 
interesting character, but considerable data relative to some of the probable 
factors of yield have also been obtained and were discussed. 
