534 



Cultivation of Brewing Barley. 



[dec, 



should be burned and the ashes distributed. The land can 

 then be ploughed, manured, cross-ploughed, and left fallow 

 till the next May when it may be stocked with young plants. 



The harvest depends on the season, but as a general rule 

 may begin in the first week of August, if the weather be 

 dry. In wet weather it is better not to cut at all. The best 

 oil is obtained in hot droughty seasons. 



Mr. J. C. Sawer describes the method of distillation adopted 

 and states that an average yield of 25 lb. weight of oil per acre 

 may be obtained, but much depends on the energy and personal 

 superintendence of the grower and care in the distillation. 

 The value of the oil varies, but is now about 22s. a lb. 



The following " golden rules " for the cultivation of barley 

 have been issued by the Experiment Station for the Brewing 



Industry in Berlin for the guidance of 

 Cultivation of Brewing German farmers. The advice given is 

 Barley. likely to prove of interest to English 



barley growers, though it will be re- 

 marked that most of the " rules " are those usually observed 

 in the best barley-growing districts of Britain : — 



Seed. — (1) Till the ground as early as the condition of the 

 soil will allow. (2) Use the best, pure seed, free from smut. 

 (3) If the seed is bought or comes from a field that shows 

 signs of smut, it should be treated with a half per cent, solution 

 of copper sulphate.* (4) The drills should not be too far apart 

 (6 to 8 ins.) Do not spare the seed. (5) Avoid sowing clover 

 with barley. 



Varieties. — (6) The Chevalier barleys are the best, but they 

 require very careful cultivation and good soil, and are especially 

 sensitive to strong nitrogenous manuring. (7) Imperial barleys 

 therefore should be preferred where the soil is highly nitro- 

 genous or where owing to unfavourable weather the Chevalier 

 and other sorts may be expected to suffer from " lodging " 

 and damage to quality. (8) For dry soils the Hanna barleys 

 are most suitable. These barleys also deserve consideration 

 for better soils on account of their prolific yields. 



Manuring. — (9) Brewing barleys require rich and easily 

 assimilated stores of plant-food. (10) This is supplied by 



* Treatment for the prevention of Smut and Bunt is given in Leaflet No. 92. 



