136 
Beport of Experiments on the Grotcth of Barler/, 
earlier and better crops, those grown by manures contalning- 
nitrogen and superphosphate, and by farmyard-manure, were 
the most laid. Notwithstanding this, owing to the improved 
weather at the final ripening, and harvest time, it was just 
these crops that gave a rather better than average weight per 
bushel of corn, whilst the poorer and more backward crops gave 
lower than the average weight per bushel. The quantity of 
both corn and straw was throughout lower than the average, and 
the deficiency was proportionally the greater the greater the 
relative deficiency of available nitrogen within the soil ; that is 
to say, without manure, and with purely mineral manure. The 
proportion of corn to straw was generally not far from the average, 
and, under some of the best conditions of manuring, somewhat 
over the average. Upon the whole, therefore, the experimental 
barley crop was deficient in quantity, but of full average quality. 
The deficiency in the spring-sown crop was, however, much less 
than that of the experimental wheat ; and less, perhaps, than 
might have been expected considering the late sowing, the alterna- 
^tions of forcing and checking conditions of weather during the 
earlier stages, and the sunless character of the later periods of 
growth. The result is, at the same time, consistent with that 
recorded of the barley-crop of the country, which, according 
to the more reliable authorities, suffered considerably less than 
wheat ; it is also consistent in showing relatively less deficiency 
the better the soil-conditions. 
Seventeenth Season, 1868. 
October, 1867, was very variable as to temperature, upo» 
the whole colder than usual, with comparatively little rain, but 
occasional high winds. There was very unusually little rain in 
November, and the weather was for the most part clear but cold, 
and very favourable for working the land and sowing. December 
was characterised by great and rapid variations of temperature 
and barometric pressure, some extremely heavy gales, sometimes- 
frost, snow, and sleet, at others very warm weather ; in the 
aggregate there was a full amount of rain, and throughout, 
the month agricultural operations were much impeded. The 
first eleven days of January, 18G8, were very cold ; but from 
that time to the end of the quarter (indeed to the end of the 
summer), the weather was unusually warm. There was a con- 
siderable excess of rain, and there were several gales of wind, in 
January ; but there were only moderate amounts of rain in Feb- 
ruary and March. In these months vegetation became very 
forward, and the weather was generally favourable for working- 
the land and for spring sowing. April, May, and June, again, 
were all considerably warmer than the average. The average tem- 
