70 



AGRICULTURAL AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 



Experiments with Barley in Yorkshire. 



When barley follows roots fed on the land by sheep, there is 

 sometimes a tendency,in a moist season, towards the production 

 of rank, weak straw, with the result that before harvest the 

 crop becomes laid, the clover and grass seeds sown along 

 with the barley being also damaged. Many farmers have 

 been in the habit of applying salt, previous to sowing barley, 

 with the object of producing a stouter straw and therefore 

 a better standing crop. Where barley is taken as a second 

 corn crop this treatment is not generally considered 

 necessary. 



A test was accordingly made at Garforth on a 

 medium loam where half the crop of roots was fed on the 

 land, one plot receiving 5 cwts. of agricultural salt per acre 

 previous to the land being worked before the barley was 

 drilled. 50 \ bushels and 38 cwts. of straw per acre were 

 harvested from the plot which received salt, as compared 

 with 43 J bushels and 2 9 -J cwts. of straw from the other plot; 

 the salt having thus produced an increase of 7 bushels of 

 grain and 8f cwts. of straw per acre. But the season was 

 exceptionally dry, and so the particular object aimed at in 

 the experiment has not been attained, and it will be 

 repeated with a view to testing its advantage in a wet 

 season. The better crop in 1901 may be accounted for to a 

 great extent through the salt helping to retain the moisture. 

 It was noticed that there was a smaller proportion of weeds 

 on the plot receiving salt, and the clover and grass also 

 suffered to some extent, so that the salt should be applied 

 some time previous to sowing. 



An experiment was also made to determine whether a better 

 sample of barley is obtained by thick or thin seeding. By 



