i5o 



Thin Seeding oe Malting Barley. [june; 



and New South Wales in 1902-3 was a complete failure, and, 

 relatively to the acreage, the yield of the seven Colonies was 

 much below that of any previous year. In 1903-4, on the other 

 hand, it is evident from the official figures which are already 

 available, that the yield will prove to be the largest ever known. 

 The production in Victoria is returned at 28,356,000 bushels ; 

 in New South Wales at 27,334,000 bushels ; and in Western 

 Australia at 1,900,000 bushels ; while, according to figures given 

 in the Queensland Agricultural Journal, the yield of South 

 Australia is estimated at 14,000,000, and of Queensland at 

 2,500,000 bushels. 



The injurious effect of thin seeding on the quality of malting 

 barley was the subject of some experiments carried out by 

 Mr. E. S. Beaven at Warminster, and 

 Effect Of Thin rep0 rted in the Journal of the Federated 



viz., Invincible, Standwell, Hanna, and Goldthorpe, two well- 

 known sorts of true Chevalier, and Archer's stiff straw. These 

 seven sorts were grown in 1900 under three conditions as 

 to quantity of seed, viz., 3 bushels per acre in drills 7 in. 

 apart, bushels in drills 14 in. apart, and 1 bushel in drills 

 21 in. apart. The weight of seed in each drill was therefore the 

 same in all cases. The excessive widths between drills (14 in. 

 and 21 in.) and the small weight of seed on unit area were 

 adopted, w T ith the special object of exaggerating the effects due 

 to thin seeding. In the subsequent year the seeding was 4, 2, 

 and E- bushels per acre, in drills respectively 4, 8, and 12 in. 

 apart. The result showed that the effect of giving the individual 

 seed at and after planting time over-abundant soil space and 

 plant food was to produce a coarse plant, which would only 

 mature large, steely, unworkable grain — a grain which the 

 brewer does not want, and which cannot compete with foreign 

 six-rowed sorts. The less competition and the less restriction 



Seeding 1 on Malting* 

 Barley. 



Institutes of Brewing (Vol. VIII., No. 5).* 

 Seven varieties of barley were selected, 



See Journal, Vol. XL. April , 1904. p. 39. 



