112 Report of Experiments on the Groivth of Barley, 
upon tbe whole, of barely average yield per acre ; though it was 
admitted to be good in the best corn-growing districts. 
Seventh Season, 1858. 
The last quarter of 1857 was generally mild, with unusually 
little rain during the last two months. January, 1858, was also 
dry, and, during the last fortnight, cold and frosty. February was 
cold, moderately rainy, with some snow, sharp frosts, and easterly 
winds, which extended some time into March ; in which month 
there was comparatively little rain. The beginning of April 
was cold, but most of the remainder fine, and even hot ; and a 
moderate amount of rain fell in the beginning and end of the 
month. It was also cold in the beginning of May, but fine, dry, 
and hot towards the end ; though with heavy showers, making 
up about an average fall of rain during the month. June was 
upon the whole very fine, dry, and hot, with some heavy thunder- 
showers, but much less than the average amount of rain. In 
July there was much more rain ; and, though variable, the 
- weather was still upon the whole fine and hot. August and 
September were very fine, with much less than the average fall 
of rain. Throughout the quarter ending with September, as 
also in June, the degree of humidity of the atmosphere ranged 
lower than usual. 
There was, therefore, during the winter, spring, and summer, 
upon the whole, much less than the usual amount of rain ; 
though in February, April, May, and July, there were fair 
amounts. The air was also generally less humid than usual 
throughout the summer. The temperature, too, was generally 
above the average throughout the spring and summer months, 
whilst June was unusually hot. 
Early in the summer the appearance of the wheat plant was 
generally that of great luxuriance, promising a bulky crop. 
The reports of the harvest indicated a crop, fully, if not above, 
the average, though by no means equal to the extraordinary 
one of 1857. Barley and oats were said to be very various, 
neither likely to give an average as to quantity ; and barley 
not very good in quality. 
The experimental wheat crop was pretty uniformly below 
the average in quantity of straw, but the produce of grain was 
generally above the average, and the more so the higher the 
manuring. 
The results obtained with barley are shown in Table VIII. 
(p. 1.13). 
Hitherto we have been able to show the effects of mixed mineral 
manure alone, the same with 200 lbs. ammonia-salts, the same with 
